Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Punakha

For one person, living is cheaper in Punakha: $135 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Punakha

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$135

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Punakha

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Punakha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $135 in Punakha, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,269
Punakha $135

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $183 in Punakha, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,016
Punakha $183

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $231 in Punakha, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,763
Punakha $231

Tbilisi costs about 843% more than Punakha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tbilisi and Punakha are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Punakha 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.33

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

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

$88.8 ₾230

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

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

$375 ₾971

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$21.41 BTN 2,035

384.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$10.42 BTN 991

276.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$42.00 BTN 3,992

179.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$36.72 BTN 3,490

231.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$95.7 BTN 9,098

626.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$84.8 BTN 8,063

431.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$138 BTN 13.1K

880.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$120 BTN 11.4K

652.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

$3,125 BTN 297.0K

-26.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

$2,890 BTN 274.6K

-53.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

$242 BTN 23.0K

174.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Punakha: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Punakha

–

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Punakha

–

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Punakha

–

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Punakha

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Punakha

–

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Punakha

–

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Punakha

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $96 in Punakha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Tbilisi are about 2.7 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇧🇹 Punakha

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

14:03 2:03 PM

2 h ahead of Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

21,500

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.52 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 95.05 BTN (100 BTN = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.43 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Punakha 4,350 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Punakha

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Punakha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 843% more than Punakha, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $202 in Punakha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Punakha, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $96 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Punakha, where all-in costs run around $135, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Punakha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $135 in Punakha to $1,269 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Punakha. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.