Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Chiang Rai Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Chiang Rai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $846 in Chiang Rai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $1,298 in Chiang Rai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,750 in Chiang Rai.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 44% more expensive than Chiang Rai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Chiang Rai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$1.95 ฿63.7

456.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$15.56 ฿507

183.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$6.11 ฿199

35.52%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.44 ฿46.89

109.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.62 ฿20.10

22.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.30 ฿9.89

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.82 ฿59.2

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$3.68 ฿120

-18.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.65 ฿53.8

16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$1.60 ฿52.2

-55.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.14 ฿37.19

61.40%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$1.96 ฿63.9

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$15.69 ฿511

-52.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$3.06 ฿99.6

111.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$10.89 ฿355

-10.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$2.52 ฿81.9

-52.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.04 ฿33.91

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.65 ฿53.6

8.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$0.89 ฿29.08

150.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.39 ฿45.13

-53.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.15 ฿37.60

-40.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.71 ฿23.27

67.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.52 ฿17.01

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$3.68 ฿120

-19.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$16.99 ฿553

-56.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.80 ฿58.6

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$3.19 ฿104

-29.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.75 ฿24.39

-52.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$23.21 ฿756

-37.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$1.38 ฿44.88

8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$1.28 ฿41.85

-42.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$7.98 ฿260

-6.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.23 ฿40.11

-7.32%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$20.0K ฿652.5K

-7.59%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$22.4K ฿729.2K

-9.53%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$73.9 ₾196

$49.17 ฿1,602

50.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.71 ₾31.01

$14.08 ฿459

-16.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$15.49 ฿505

17.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$49.82 ฿1,623

23.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$12.29 ฿400

35.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$3.75 ฿122

76.27%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$264 ₾700

$307 ฿9,991

-13.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$7,786 ฿253.6K

-33.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$54.6 ฿1,778

37.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$26.07 ฿849

68.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$72.9 ฿2,375

61.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$71.9 ฿2,340

58.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$270 ฿8,809

155.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$260 ฿8,457

74.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$753 ฿24.5K

75.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$499 ฿16.3K

57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$1,969 ฿64.1K

23.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$977 ฿31.8K

47.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$619 ฿20.2K

4.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

137.80%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Rai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $270 in Chiang Rai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $16.00 in Chiang Rai. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $235, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chiang Rai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Chiang Rai differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $846 including rent). Chiang Rai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tbilisi pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Tbilisi versus $270 in Chiang Rai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $307 in Chiang Rai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $846 in Chiang Rai versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Rai but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Rai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Chiang Rai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Rai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.