Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Tbilisi versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Tbilisi versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 3% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ₾30.55

$4.56 ฿150

157.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₾98.8

$32.62 ฿1,072

16.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.41

$8.90 ฿293

9.44%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.90

$2.80 ฿92.2

21.79%

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

$1.06 ₾2.76

$0.88 ฿28.93

20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.49 ฿16.08

32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₾7.05

$2.39 ฿78.5

12.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.08

$3.71 ฿122

-16.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₾5.73

$1.79 ฿58.7

22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₾2.10

$1.44 ฿47.38

-43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.58 ฿52.1

3.80%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.18

$2.13 ฿69.9

29.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₾23.50

$19.92 ฿655

-54.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ₾17.09

$3.43 ฿113

90.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 ₾32.91

$11.33 ฿372

11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.36

$2.95 ฿96.9

-43.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₾4.73

$1.72 ฿56.6

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₾5.03

$2.32 ฿76.4

-16.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ₾6.76

$2.08 ฿68.4

24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$1.47 ฿48.33

-40.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.68

$1.36 ฿44.64

-52.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₾3.63

$1.10 ฿36.12

26.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.08

$0.57 ฿18.89

40.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.78

$4.27 ฿140

-21.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₾19.66

$18.42 ฿605

-59.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₾4.21

$1.87 ฿61.5

-13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.86

$2.92 ฿96.0

-22.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$2.22 ฿72.9

-83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.41

$22.90 ฿753

-34.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₾3.05

$3.03 ฿99.6

-61.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₾2.09

$1.07 ฿35.31

-25.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 ₾29.55

$3.93 ฿129

188.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$1.49 ฿49.04

-10.74%

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

$25.0K ₾65.2K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

-7.88%

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

$22.4K ₾58.4K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-18.47%

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

$89.1 ₾232

$103 ฿3,379

-13.32%

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

$13.25 ₾34.55

$10.99 ฿361

20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₾50.8

$17.51 ฿576

11.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 ₾178

$53.5 ฿1,760

27.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 ₾48.73

$11.20 ฿368

66.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₾17.30

$7.48 ฿246

-11.36%

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

$363 ₾948

$557 ฿18.3K

-34.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-10.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾270

$64.1 ฿2,106

61.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 ₾101

$29.07 ฿956

33.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$96.0 ฿3,154

21.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$90.3 ฿2,970

35.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,780

$730 ฿24.0K

-6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₾1,165

$500 ฿16.4K

-10.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,349

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-38.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₾2,399

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-23.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₾6,486

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-30.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₾3,711

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-43.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₾1,684

$503 ฿16.5K

28.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

5.57

128.55%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 28% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $273, 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $363 in Tbilisi versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,286 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Phuket 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 Phuket 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.