Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kaohsiung Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kaohsiung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $1,148 in Kaohsiung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,899 in Kaohsiung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $2,650 in Kaohsiung.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 3% more expensive than Kaohsiung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Kaohsiung 14% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.15 ₾30.00
$4.11 NT$130
171.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.13 ₾116
$33.83 NT$1,071
27.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.22 ₾22.11
$5.43 NT$172
51.38%
Cappuccino
$3.13 ₾8.42
$2.99 NT$94.8
4.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ₾2.00
$0.97 NT$30.80
-23.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 ₾1.22
$0.72 NT$22.94
-37.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.13 ₾5.74
$1.68 NT$53.1
26.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 ₾8.06
$2.79 NT$88.2
7.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 ₾5.09
$3.43 NT$109
-44.90%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 ₾1.97
$2.00 NT$63.3
-63.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.98
$2.61 NT$82.6
-29.12%
Eggs
$2.45 ₾6.58
$3.30 NT$105
-25.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.85 ₾21.12
$16.13 NT$511
-51.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.25 ₾16.82
$9.45 NT$299
-33.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.77 ₾26.28
$17.56 NT$556
-44.36%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 ₾3.26
$6.20 NT$196
-80.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 ₾4.28
$2.59 NT$81.9
-38.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 ₾4.81
$2.86 NT$90.4
-37.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.32 ₾6.25
$4.00 NT$127
-42.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ₾1.91
$2.91 NT$92.1
-75.60%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 ₾1.81
$2.23 NT$70.5
-69.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 ₾3.16
$1.95 NT$61.6
-39.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 ₾1.92
$1.19 NT$37.74
-40.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.92 ₾7.85
$4.53 NT$143
-35.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.25 ₾19.50
$15.61 NT$494
-53.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 ₾4.17
$1.67 NT$52.8
-7.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 ₾6.21
$2.56 NT$81.0
-9.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 ₾1.03
$0.82 NT$26.01
-53.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.81 ₾39.83
$26.95 NT$853
-45.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.48 ₾3.98
$2.91 NT$92.1
-49.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.69 ₾1.86
$0.79 NT$25.16
-12.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.45 ₾20.05
$6.12 NT$194
21.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 ₾3.10
$1.03 NT$32.54
11.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K ₾48.4K
$34.9K NT$1.1M
-48.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.8K ₾53.4K
$25.6K NT$811.5K
-22.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.4 ₾198
$102 NT$3,239
-28.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.64 ₾31.32
$25.62 NT$811
-54.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.77 ₾47.79
$25.09 NT$794
-29.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.6 ₾163
$39.67 NT$1,255
52.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.44 ₾44.21
$11.12 NT$352
47.84%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ₾17.52
$9.98 NT$316
-34.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$263 ₾707
$431 NT$13.7K
-39.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,136 ₾13.8K
$11.5K NT$362.6K
-55.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.7 ₾209
$97.4 NT$3,083
-20.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.39 ₾119
$35.83 NT$1,134
23.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ₾317
$88.1 NT$2,788
33.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 ₾307
$104 NT$3,276
10.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$693 ₾1,865
$442 NT$14.0K
57.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ₾1,244
$279 NT$8,843
65.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 ₾3,597
$960 NT$30.4K
39.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$779 ₾2,096
$686 NT$21.7K
13.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,530 ₾6,805
$4,630 NT$146.5K
-45.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,430 ₾3,847
$3,248 NT$102.8K
-55.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Kaohsiung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$633 ₾1,702
$1,533 NT$48.5K
-58.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.89
2.3
416.96%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kaohsiung: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $442 in Kaohsiung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaohsiung pays 142% 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 $34.00 in Kaohsiung. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $384, 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 Kaohsiung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tbilisi and Kaohsiung?
Tbilisi and Kaohsiung differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,185 vs $1,148 including rent). Kaohsiung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Kaohsiung earns 142% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Tbilisi and Kaohsiung?
Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $442 in Kaohsiung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tbilisi and Kaohsiung?
Childcare runs $263 in Tbilisi versus $431 in Kaohsiung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 87% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,148 in Kaohsiung versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaohsiung but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kaohsiung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Kaohsiung?
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.
Is Tbilisi or Kaohsiung safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Kaohsiung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Tbilisi or Kaohsiung?
Expats usually find Kaohsiung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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