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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Tbilisi vs $523 in Thimphu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Tbilisi vs $802 in Thimphu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,082 in Thimphu, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 138% more than Thimphu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Thimphu are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Thimphu 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$2.60 BTN 220

335.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$14.08 BTN 1,189

174.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$3.65 BTN 308

160.82%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$1.34 BTN 113

154.48%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.53 BTN 44.35

96.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.17 BTN 14.38

276.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.55 BTN 216

2.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.16 BTN 183

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$0.84 BTN 71.0

158.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$1.06 BTN 89.5

-30.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.01 BTN 85.3

69.31%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.95 BTN 165

45.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$3.84 BTN 324

140.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$4.13 BTN 348

63.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$4.07 BTN 343

213.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$2.58 BTN 218

-36.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.52 BTN 129

16.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.66 BTN 140

12.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$0.79 BTN 66.5

208.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.57 BTN 48.00

52.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.66 BTN 55.4

-1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$0.36 BTN 30.69

288.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.31 BTN 26.37

138.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.83 BTN 324

-10.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$2.80 BTN 236

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$0.64 BTN 53.7

165.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$1.40 BTN 118

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.78 BTN 65.4

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$5.10 BTN 431

198.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.81 BTN 68.3

45.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.61 BTN 136

-52.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$0.16 BTN 13.42

6987.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$0.77 BTN 64.8

72.73%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$16.6K BTN 1.4M

48.87%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$15.4K BTN 1.3M

42.79%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$35.36 BTN 2,985

151.30%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$36.45 BTN 3,077

-63.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$24.89 BTN 2,101

-19.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$47.12 BTN 3,978

45.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$7.70 BTN 650

134.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$3.13 BTN 264

114.70%

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

$374 ₾971

$45.00 BTN 3,799

730.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$578 BTN 48.8K

1751.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$49.28 BTN 4,160

105.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$24.81 BTN 2,094

58.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$69.0 BTN 5,827

70.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$14.21 BTN 1,200

760.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$129 BTN 10.9K

428.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$86.4 BTN 7,290

428.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$194 BTN 16.4K

570.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$157 BTN 13.3K

471.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

$6,694 BTN 565.1K

-63.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$387 BTN 32.7K

274.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$350 BTN 29.5K

86.63%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $682 in Tbilisi versus $129 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 87% 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 $39.00 in Tbilisi versus $14.00 in Thimphu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $128 – 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: $1,247 in Tbilisi, $523 in Thimphu – roughly 138% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Tbilisi and $785 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 $39.00 in Tbilisi and $14.00 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 $1,247 in Tbilisi and $523 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 $523, than in Tbilisi at $1,247. 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 $523 in Thimphu to $1,247 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.