Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,192 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,958 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $2,724 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs are close between Tbilisi and Shanghai; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$4.72 ¥31.92

129.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$35.92 ¥243

22.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$5.74 ¥38.75

44.77%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$3.52 ¥23.76

-15.62%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.57 ¥3.88

35.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.33 ¥2.25

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.36 ¥9.18

57.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.84 ¥19.17

1.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$2.10 ¥14.18

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.80 ¥12.13

-60.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.05 ¥7.12

81.90%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.68 ¥11.33

47.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$15.78 ¥107

-50.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$3.17 ¥21.39

94.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$11.02 ¥74.5

-13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$2.38 ¥16.05

-50.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.69 ¥11.45

-2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.78 ¥12.05

3.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.45 ¥9.82

60.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.83 ¥5.63

-14.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.13 ¥7.62

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.68 ¥4.56

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.60 ¥4.05

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$2.82 ¥19.03

3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$11.74 ¥79.3

-34.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$0.78 ¥5.27

103.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.57 ¥10.62

47.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.41 ¥2.74

-7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$35.05 ¥237

-57.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$2.26 ¥15.26

-33.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.37 ¥2.52

83.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$8.18 ¥55.3

-11.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.15 ¥7.79

-5.22%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$19.3K ¥130.3K

-3.52%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$17.7K ¥119.8K

15.47%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$53.0 ¥358

37.68%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$8.77 ¥59.3

36.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$13.78 ¥93.1

30.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$45.42 ¥307

34.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$20.00 ¥135

-17.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$8.30 ¥56.1

-19.28%

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

$269 ₾705

$1,264 ¥8,542

-78.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$31.7K ¥214.0K

-83.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$57.7 ¥390

32.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$37.93 ¥256

14.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$77.0 ¥520

56.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$96.7 ¥654

14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$955 ¥6,456

-28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$555 ¥3,749

-15.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$2,497 ¥16.9K

-45.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$1,207 ¥8,154

-34.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$14.3K ¥96.6K

-82.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$6,625 ¥44.8K

-78.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$1,702 ¥11.5K

-61.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

3.58

232.12%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $955 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 158% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $36.00 in Shanghai. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $228, 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 Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 158% lower in Shanghai. 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $955 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shanghai runs roughly 137% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,192 in Shanghai versus $1,197 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shanghai but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Shanghai 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 Shanghai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Shanghai wins on affordability, Tbilisi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.