Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Luang Prabang Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Luang Prabang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $1,549 in Luang Prabang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $2,372 in Luang Prabang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $3,195 in Luang Prabang.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 21% less than in Luang Prabang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 9% below, Luang Prabang is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$1.90 LAK 41.6K

471.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$17.57 LAK 385.1K

151.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$5.50 LAK 120.6K

50.55%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.60 LAK 35.1K

88.75%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.91 LAK 20.0K

-16.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.58 LAK 12.8K

-20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.35 LAK 29.7K

65.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$1.13 LAK 24.8K

165.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.75 LAK 38.4K

10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$1.13 LAK 24.8K

-36.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$2.23 LAK 48.9K

-17.49%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.45 LAK 53.7K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$24.83 LAK 544.1K

-70.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$2.69 LAK 58.9K

140.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$4.36 LAK 95.5K

122.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$1.35 LAK 29.5K

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$2.16 LAK 47.3K

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$2.18 LAK 47.7K

-17.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$4.44 LAK 97.3K

-49.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.45 LAK 31.8K

-55.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.00 LAK 22.0K

-32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.07 LAK 23.4K

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.76 LAK 16.7K

-7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$2.03 LAK 44.4K

45.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$29.77 LAK 652.6K

-75.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.25 LAK 27.5K

21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$0.82 LAK 18.0K

174.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.62 LAK 13.5K

-41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$60.2 LAK 1.3M

-75.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.96 LAK 21.0K

56.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$1.13 LAK 24.7K

-35.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$4.66 LAK 102.2K

59.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.16 LAK 25.5K

-1.72%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$28.8K LAK 630.2M

-35.61%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$29.6K LAK 648.9M

-31.58%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$86.3 LAK 1.9M

-14.42%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$5.40 LAK 118.4K

116.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$7.14 LAK 156.5K

154.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$83.5 LAK 1.8M

-26.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$8.05 LAK 176.5K

106.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$2.47 LAK 54.1K

167.61%

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

$264 ₾700

$253 LAK 5.5M

4.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$9,413 LAK 206.3M

-45.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$74.4 LAK 1.6M

0.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$61.2 LAK 1.3M

-28.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$74.5 LAK 1.6M

57.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$52.3 LAK 1.1M

117.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$1,137 LAK 24.9M

-39.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$866 LAK 19.0M

-47.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$1,945 LAK 42.6M

-31.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$1,730 LAK 37.9M

-54.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$2,604 LAK 57.1M

-6.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$170 LAK 3.7M

746.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$198 LAK 4.3M

225.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

10.12

17.49%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Luang Prabang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $1,137 in Luang Prabang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 225% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $18.00 in Luang Prabang. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $286, 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 Luang Prabang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Luang Prabang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tbilisi pays 225% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Tbilisi versus $1,137 in Luang Prabang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 312% less than in Luang Prabang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $253 in Luang Prabang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $1,549 in Luang Prabang, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Luang Prabang. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tbilisi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,218 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Luang Prabang 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 27% less than in Luang Prabang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.