Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kawagoe Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kawagoe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,260 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,991 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $2,722 in Kawagoe.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 5% less than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Kawagoe 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$6.88 ¥1,117

57.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$34.69 ¥5,636

26.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$5.09 ¥827

63.26%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.87 ¥466

3.48%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$1.01 ¥165

-23.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.74 ¥120

-37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$2.11 ¥343

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.13 ¥347

34.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.68 ¥272

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.97 ¥321

-63.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$7.86 ¥1,277

-75.70%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.51 ¥245

64.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$12.32 ¥2,001

-37.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$12.25 ¥1,990

-49.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$16.59 ¥2,696

-42.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$7.76 ¥1,260

-84.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$2.56 ¥417

-35.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$4.38 ¥711

-57.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$4.49 ¥729

-48.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$3.61 ¥587

-80.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$3.67 ¥597

-81.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$1.38 ¥224

-13.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$1.20 ¥195

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$4.31 ¥701

-32.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$7.84 ¥1,273

-1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$2.49 ¥404

-36.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$3.44 ¥560

-32.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$1.67 ¥272

-77.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$56.1 ¥9,121

-73.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$3.52 ¥572

-57.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$2.88 ¥468

-76.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$20.84 ¥3,385

-65.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.14 ¥185

-4.39%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$24.3K ¥3.9M

-23.45%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$17.2K ¥2.8M

18.90%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$82.3 ¥13.4K

-11.32%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$10.55 ¥1,715

13.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$17.24 ¥2,802

4.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$73.5 ¥11.9K

-17.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$14.10 ¥2,291

17.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$11.63 ¥1,890

-42.39%

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

$269 ₾705

$276 ¥44.9K

-2.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$13.4K ¥2.2M

-61.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$42.49 ¥6,904

80.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$29.86 ¥4,852

45.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$59.2 ¥9,615

103.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$97.7 ¥15.9K

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$476 ¥77.4K

44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$323 ¥52.5K

45.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$872 ¥141.7K

55.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$658 ¥106.8K

19.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$2,500 ¥406.1K

-1.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$2,117 ¥343.9K

-31.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$1,550 ¥251.9K

-57.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

494.50%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $476 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kawagoe pays 135% 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 $35.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $389, 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 Kawagoe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Kawagoe differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,197 vs $1,260 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 135% lower in Kawagoe. 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $476 in Kawagoe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $35.00 in Kawagoe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,197 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,260 in Kawagoe – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,260 in Kawagoe, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Kawagoe. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi 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 Kawagoe 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Kawagoe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.