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: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,239 in Kawagoe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $2,003 in Kawagoe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $2,766 in Kawagoe.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 2% less than in Kawagoe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Kawagoe 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$6.99 ¥1,119

54.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$34.40 ¥5,503

25.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$5.08 ¥812

63.19%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$2.89 ¥463

3.81%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.06 ¥169

-22.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.75 ¥120

-38.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.04 ¥326

9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.14 ¥342

36.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.75 ¥280

10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.92 ¥307

-64.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$7.86 ¥1,257

-76.08%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$1.50 ¥239

69.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$12.05 ¥1,928

-38.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$12.15 ¥1,943

-49.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$16.81 ¥2,688

-44.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$7.69 ¥1,229

-84.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$2.55 ¥407

-34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$4.60 ¥736

-60.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$4.60 ¥737

-51.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$3.69 ¥590

-80.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$3.70 ¥592

-81.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$2.31 ¥370

-48.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$1.24 ¥198

-46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$4.23 ¥676

-29.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$8.25 ¥1,319

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$2.57 ¥411

-40.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$3.38 ¥541

-33.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.58 ¥253

-77.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$55.1 ¥8,805

-73.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$3.44 ¥550

-56.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$2.98 ¥477

-77.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$20.79 ¥3,325

-65.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.20 ¥192

-5.00%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$24.0K ¥3.8M

-23.24%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$17.0K ¥2.7M

17.59%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$84.9 ¥13.6K

-13.23%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$10.57 ¥1,691

10.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$17.16 ¥2,744

3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$74.2 ¥11.9K

-18.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$14.04 ¥2,245

19.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$11.34 ¥1,814

-41.80%

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

$266 ₾708

$281 ¥45.0K

-5.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-60.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$42.74 ¥6,837

81.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$30.01 ¥4,801

49.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$60.1 ¥9,620

94.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$96.0 ¥15.4K

17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$464 ¥74.2K

49.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$325 ¥51.9K

42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$865 ¥138.4K

52.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$660 ¥105.6K

17.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$2,468 ¥394.8K

-1.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$2,363 ¥378.0K

-38.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$1,589 ¥254.1K

-57.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kawagoe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $464 in Kawagoe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kawagoe pays 136% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $34.00 in Kawagoe. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $395, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $1,239 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kawagoe earns 136% 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 $464 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 $43.00 versus $34.00 in Kawagoe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,239 in Kawagoe – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,239 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 3% less than in Kawagoe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.