Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Changchun

For one person, living is cheaper in Changchun: $904 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,270
/mo nomad
Changchun
🇨🇳 China
$904
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Changchun

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Changchun actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $904 in Changchun.

  • Tbilisi $1,270
  • Changchun $904

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $1,324 in Changchun.

  • Tbilisi $2,008
  • Changchun $1,324

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $1,743 in Changchun.

  • Tbilisi $2,745
  • Changchun $1,743

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 41% more expensive than in Changchun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Changchun 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.51 ₾29.77
$3.02 ¥20.17
281.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.27 ₾99.0
$22.15 ¥148
72.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 ₾25.35
$5.19 ¥34.59
88.82%
Cappuccino
$3.55 ₾9.18
$2.40 ¥15.98
47.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ₾2.74
$0.47 ¥3.14
125.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₾1.60
$0.31 ¥2.09
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.76 ₾7.15
$1.21 ¥8.10
128.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ₾7.76
$1.91 ¥12.71
57.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ₾5.58
$1.90 ¥12.67
13.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.76 ₾1.96
$1.22 ¥8.14
-37.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.50
$1.44 ¥9.63
20.83%
Eggs
$2.79 ₾7.21
$1.81 ¥12.09
54.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 ₾23.82
$34.55 ¥230
-73.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.53 ₾16.88
$5.71 ¥38.06
14.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 ₾33.15
$10.36 ¥69.1
23.65%
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 ₾4.31
$1.72 ¥11.48
-2.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.45 ¥9.69
27.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 ₾5.13
$1.80 ¥12.02
10.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 ₾6.49
$1.89 ¥12.63
32.80%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 ₾2.25
$0.89 ¥5.94
-2.25%
Onion (1kg)
$0.73 ₾1.89
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 ₾3.67
$0.58 ¥3.88
144.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ₾1.88
$1.47 ¥9.77
-51.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.38 ₾8.74
$3.78 ¥25.21
-10.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.84 ₾20.30
$21.06 ¥140
-62.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ₾4.19
$0.92 ¥6.11
76.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₾6.15
$1.10 ¥7.35
116.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 ₾0.96
$0.44 ¥2.91
-15.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.52 ₾40.14
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.94
$1.24 ¥8.24
-8.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 ₾2.05
$0.31 ¥2.08
154.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.57 ₾29.95
$3.02 ¥20.13
283.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₾3.87
$1.28 ¥8.56
17.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.7K
$19.3K ¥129.0K
27.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K ₾57.9K
$17.8K ¥118.6K
25.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.3 ₾228
$76.7 ¥511
15.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.08 ₾33.84
$4.43 ¥29.56
195.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.53 ₾50.5
$14.76 ¥98.4
32.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.2 ₾166
$37.44 ¥250
71.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 ₾49.63
$4.13 ¥27.52
364.41%
Cinema Ticket
$6.99 ₾18.09
$6.64 ¥44.31
5.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$373 ₾965
$553 ¥3,692
-32.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K ₾27.7K
$21.9K ¥145.8K
-51.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 ₾266
$73.7 ¥492
39.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 ₾105
$44.44 ¥296
-8.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 ₾301
$60.2 ¥401
93.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾316
$69.7 ¥465
74.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$677 ₾1,752
$216 ¥1,443
212.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$454 ₾1,175
$246 ¥1,644
84.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 ₾3,304
$576 ¥3,839
121.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$890 ₾2,302
$308 ¥2,052
189.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 ₾6,234
$1,668 ¥11.1K
44.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,418 ₾3,668
$1,006 ¥6,711
40.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Changchun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ₾1,818
$961 ¥6,408
-26.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
4.37
188.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Changchun: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$454
Changchun
$246 45.7% $208
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$233
Changchun
$313 * 34.4% $80
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Changchun
$82 57.2% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Changchun
$112 35% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$121
Changchun
$96 20.7% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Changchun
$51 35.1% $27
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Changchun
$4.5 * 79.5% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Tbilisi and $216 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changchun pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $22.00 in Changchun. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $313, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇨🇳 Changchun
🕒 Local time
19:46 7:46 PM
23:46 11:46 PM
4 h ahead of Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
9,066,906
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 6.67 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.5 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Changchun 6,300 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Changchun

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Tbilisi vs Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Changchun cheaper than Tbilisi?
Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tbilisi or Changchun?
On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Changchun. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Tbilisi and Changchun?
Rent for a central apartment: $677 in Tbilisi versus $216 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $373 in Tbilisi versus $553 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Tbilisi or in Changchun?
Dining out is cheaper in Changchun – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tbilisi or in Changchun?
At $904 in Changchun versus $1,270 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tbilisi or Changchun more family-friendly?
For families, Changchun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Tbilisi or Changchun?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Changchun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Tbilisi vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?