Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Thimphu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Thimphu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $455 in Thimphu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $757 in Thimphu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,059 in Thimphu, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 166% more than Thimphu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Thimphu are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Thimphu 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$2.93 BTN 248

268.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$17.63 BTN 1,488

144.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$3.47 BTN 293

138.90%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$1.48 BTN 125

102.70%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.48 BTN 40.91

70.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.17 BTN 14.15

170.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.98 BTN 252

-25.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.30 BTN 194

26.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$0.87 BTN 73.1

121.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.95 BTN 79.8

-28.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$0.74 BTN 62.5

154.05%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$2.00 BTN 169

27.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$3.24 BTN 273

129.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$3.77 BTN 319

64.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$4.25 BTN 359

120.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$2.54 BTN 215

-51.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.52 BTN 128

9.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.86 BTN 157

-3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$0.73 BTN 61.7

206.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.54 BTN 45.20

31.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.62 BTN 52.0

8.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.46 BTN 38.43

156.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.34 BTN 28.88

94.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.76 BTN 317

-20.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$3.19 BTN 270

138.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.64 BTN 53.8

140.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.04 BTN 87.4

116.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.71 BTN 144

-78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$4.10 BTN 346

252.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$0.85 BTN 71.6

75.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$2.23 BTN 188

-69.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$0.19 BTN 15.82

3705.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.97 BTN 82.2

17.53%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

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

$73.7 ₾196

$23.29 BTN 1,966

216.36%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$38.02 BTN 3,209

-69.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$27.34 BTN 2,308

-34.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$48.52 BTN 4,096

23.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$7.60 BTN 642

121.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$3.43 BTN 290

92.42%

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

$266 ₾708

$242 BTN 20.4K

10.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$681 BTN 57.4K

662.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$9.13 BTN 771

751.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$11.81 BTN 997

278.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$31.80 BTN 2,685

267.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$31.61 BTN 2,668

257.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$118 BTN 9,925

489.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$63.5 BTN 5,363

626.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$203 BTN 17.1K

551.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$139 BTN 11.7K

457.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$6,698 BTN 565.4K

-63.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$390 BTN 33.0K

270.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$349 BTN 29.4K

92.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

10.75

10.60%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $118 in Thimphu. 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 93% 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $18.00 in Thimphu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $124 – making Thimphu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Thimphu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $455 in Thimphu – roughly 166% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $682 in Thimphu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thimphu, 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi and $18.00 in Thimphu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Tbilisi and $455 in Thimphu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thimphu, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Thimphu 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 $455 in Thimphu to $1,209 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 Thimphu. 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.