Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Dongguan Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Dongguan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $762 in Dongguan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,183 in Dongguan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,605 in Dongguan.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 59% more expensive than Dongguan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Dongguan 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$2.46 ¥16.65

339.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$20.48 ¥138

110.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$4.35 ¥29.40

90.57%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$2.71 ¥18.35

10.70%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.44 ¥3.01

86.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.29 ¥1.97

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.12 ¥7.60

99.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.18 ¥14.73

33.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.71 ¥11.54

12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.45 ¥9.78

-53.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$0.97 ¥6.55

93.81%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$1.80 ¥12.18

41.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$13.01 ¥88.0

-42.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$3.93 ¥26.60

57.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$11.39 ¥77.0

-17.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.83 ¥12.35

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.46 ¥9.85

13.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.81 ¥12.22

-0.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.36 ¥9.17

64.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.01 ¥6.82

-29.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.46 ¥9.86

-54.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.65 ¥4.41

81.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.55 ¥3.73

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$2.82 ¥19.09

5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$14.55 ¥98.4

-47.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.89 ¥6.04

73.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.86 ¥12.55

20.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.29 ¥1.98

24.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$21.18 ¥143

-31.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.28 ¥8.63

16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.35 ¥2.34

94.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$5.43 ¥36.73

33.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.16 ¥7.86

-1.72%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$20.8K ¥140.5K

-11.15%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$20.5K ¥138.5K

-2.52%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$62.1 ¥420

18.61%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$8.36 ¥56.5

39.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$12.32 ¥83.3

44.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$60.5 ¥409

-0.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$13.24 ¥89.5

26.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$6.87 ¥46.45

-3.93%

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

$266 ₾708

$451 ¥3,050

-40.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$20.5K ¥138.9K

-74.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$29.57 ¥200

162.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$24.49 ¥166

82.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$61.9 ¥418

88.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$37.57 ¥254

200.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$361 ¥2,442

91.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$216 ¥1,458

114.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$691 ¥4,674

90.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$406 ¥2,745

90.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$5,711 ¥38.6K

-57.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$3,110 ¥21.0K

-53.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$836 ¥5,653

-19.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

4.04

194.31%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dongguan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $361 in Dongguan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $20.00 in Dongguan. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $220, 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 Dongguan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dongguan is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Dongguan earns 24% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $361 in Dongguan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dongguan runs roughly 47% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $451 in Dongguan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $762 in Dongguan versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongguan but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Dongguan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dongguan 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.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Dongguan 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 Dongguan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.