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: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,221 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,977 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,733 in Kawagoe.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 5% more expensive than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Kawagoe 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$6.63 ¥1,017

72.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$42.66 ¥6,546

-10.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$5.12 ¥786

83.59%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$3.50 ¥538

-3.43%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.93 ¥143

11.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.50 ¥77.4

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$1.93 ¥296

40.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$2.81 ¥431

8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.19 ¥183

90.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$1.29 ¥198

-38.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$3.79 ¥581

-57.26%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$2.13 ¥327

28.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$6.34 ¥973

46.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$6.04 ¥927

12.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$14.80 ¥2,271

-12.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$5.95 ¥912

-72.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$2.33 ¥358

-21.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$2.91 ¥446

-34.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$3.23 ¥495

-20.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$2.71 ¥416

-69.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.92 ¥295

-66.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.27 ¥195

7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.77 ¥118

3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$3.99 ¥612

-14.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$4.89 ¥750

56.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.86 ¥285

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$2.09 ¥321

13.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$3.09 ¥474

-87.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$162 ¥24.8K

-90.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$3.31 ¥508

-65.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$2.56 ¥393

-71.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$21.09 ¥3,236

-46.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.11 ¥170

24.32%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$16.1K ¥2.5M

52.79%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$13.1K ¥2.0M

67.67%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$137 ¥21.0K

-35.19%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$22.78 ¥3,496

-42.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$33.01 ¥5,064

-40.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$44.88 ¥6,887

52.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$32.59 ¥5,000

-44.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$11.43 ¥1,754

-43.83%

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

$372 ₾967

$325 ¥49.9K

14.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$6,361 ¥975.9K

69.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$32.02 ¥4,913

226.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$33.49 ¥5,139

15.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$45.80 ¥7,027

150.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$97.2 ¥14.9K

25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$419 ¥64.3K

62.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$281 ¥43.2K

61.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$874 ¥134.1K

50.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$609 ¥93.4K

46.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$2,546 ¥390.6K

-6.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,288 ¥197.7K

10.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$1,638 ¥251.3K

-60.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

1.6

688.75%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $419 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kawagoe pays 156% 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 $43.00 in Kawagoe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $263 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

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 ($1,279 vs $1,221 including rent). Kawagoe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 156% 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: $681 in Tbilisi versus $419 in Kawagoe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kawagoe – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,221 in Kawagoe – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,221 in Kawagoe versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kawagoe but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kawagoe 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 Kawagoe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.