Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Pyongyang

For one person, living is cheaper in Pyongyang: $414 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
12

Cost of Living Index in Pyongyang
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Pyongyang Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Pyongyang

🇰🇵 North Korea

$414

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Pyongyang

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 Pyongyang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Tbilisi vs $414 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,270
Pyongyang $414

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Tbilisi vs $672 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,008
Pyongyang $672

A family of three spends $2,745 per month in Tbilisi vs $930 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,745
Pyongyang $930

Tbilisi costs about 207% more than Pyongyang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tbilisi and Pyongyang are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 6% lower, Pyongyang 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

$4.81 $4.81

139.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 ₾99.1

$35.65 $35.65

7.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₾25.36

$21.06 $21.06

-53.47%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

$1.09 $1.09

225.69%

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

$1.06 ₾2.74

$2.25 $2.25

-52.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₾1.60

$1.24 $1.24

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₾7.16

$13.23 $13.23

-79.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

$4.84 $4.84

-38.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₾5.59

$0.97 $0.97

122.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₾1.96

$2.30 $2.30

-66.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$0.89 $0.89

95.51%

Eggs

$2.79 ₾7.21

$1.97 $1.97

41.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 ₾23.83

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₾16.89

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 ₾33.17

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₾6.49

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₾1.89

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₾4.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₾3.87

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

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

$88.3 ₾228

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

$13.08 ₾33.86

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

$74.8 $74.8

-14.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

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

$373 ₾966

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₾266

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾316

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

$88.8 $88.8

662.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,176

$90.4 $90.4

402.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,304

$133 $133

566.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₾1,819

$244 $244

188.51%

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 17, 2026

Last update for Pyongyang: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Pyongyang

$90 21.8% 80.1% $364

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Pyongyang

$44 * 10.7% 81% $189

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Pyongyang

$205 49.4% 7.3% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Pyongyang

$75 * 18.1% 4.3% $3.4

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Tbilisi versus $88.8 in Pyongyang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 189% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $36.00 in Pyongyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $44.00 – making Pyongyang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇰🇵 Pyongyang

🕒 Local time

20:56 8:56 PM

01:56 1:56 AM

5 h ahead of Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

3,255,288 Capital

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Pyongyang 6,600 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Pyongyang

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 Pyongyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi, $414 in Pyongyang – roughly 207% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Tbilisi and $621 in Pyongyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pyongyang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi and $36.00 in Pyongyang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,270 in Tbilisi and $414 in Pyongyang. That's a gap of about 207%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pyongyang, where all-in costs run around $414, than in Tbilisi at $1,270. In Pyongyang 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 $414 in Pyongyang to $1,270 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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