Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shantou Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shantou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $705 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,103 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,500 in Shantou, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 70% more than Shantou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Shantou are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Shantou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$2.03 ¥13.71

433.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$16.87 ¥114

159.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$4.97 ¥33.57

67.20%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$3.24 ¥21.92

-8.33%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.47 ¥3.20

63.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.30 ¥2.05

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$0.80 ¥5.42

167.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.67 ¥18.07

7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.69 ¥11.39

12.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.37 ¥9.26

-48.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$0.71 ¥4.82

169.01%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.86 ¥12.58

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$12.66 ¥85.5

-38.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$3.76 ¥25.40

64.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$12.25 ¥82.8

-21.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.88 ¥12.72

-37.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.43 ¥9.66

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.68 ¥11.34

10.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.28 ¥8.62

82.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.78 ¥5.27

-8.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.95 ¥6.42

-29.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.68 ¥4.58

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.43 ¥2.91

53.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$3.39 ¥22.89

-13.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$12.39 ¥83.7

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$0.83 ¥5.62

91.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.82 ¥12.33

26.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.36 ¥2.46

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$22.01 ¥149

-32.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.54 ¥10.41

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.36 ¥2.41

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$6.69 ¥45.24

8.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.14 ¥7.71

-4.39%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$21.1K ¥142.7K

-11.87%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$19.5K ¥131.5K

5.20%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$53.3 ¥360

37.04%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$8.53 ¥57.6

40.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$12.89 ¥87.1

39.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$41.05 ¥277

48.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$14.13 ¥95.5

16.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$6.78 ¥45.85

-1.18%

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

$269 ₾705

$450 ¥3,038

-40.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$20.2K ¥136.5K

-74.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$49.29 ¥333

55.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$29.86 ¥202

45.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$75.6 ¥511

59.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$77.8 ¥526

42.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$280 ¥1,894

145.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$139 ¥937

239.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$567 ¥3,829

138.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$281 ¥1,901

180.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$2,249 ¥15.2K

9.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$4,385 ¥29.6K

-66.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$1,037 ¥7,009

-36.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

4.04

194.31%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shantou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi versus $280 in Shantou. 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 57% higher in Shantou, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $17.00 in Shantou. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Tbilisi vs $210 in Shantou – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Shantou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi, $705 in Shantou – roughly 70% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi and $1,057 in Shantou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi and $17.00 in Shantou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shantou, where all-in costs run around $705, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. In Shantou 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 $705 in Shantou to $1,197 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 Shantou. 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.