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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $457 in Thimphu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $749 in Thimphu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,041 in Thimphu, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 162% 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

$10.82 ₾28.38

$2.96 BTN 250

265.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$17.68 BTN 1,492

148.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$3.43 BTN 290

142.27%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.42 BTN 120

109.15%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.49 BTN 41.27

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.15 BTN 12.46

206.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$2.85 BTN 241

-24.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.27 BTN 192

26.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$0.80 BTN 67.4

137.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.95 BTN 80.3

-25.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$0.68 BTN 57.8

180.88%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$2.05 BTN 173

20.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$3.34 BTN 282

131.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$3.82 BTN 322

61.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$4.41 BTN 372

117.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$2.50 BTN 211

-53.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.46 BTN 123

13.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.89 BTN 160

-2.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$0.77 BTN 65.0

202.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.50 BTN 42.01

42.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.58 BTN 48.64

15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.46 BTN 38.59

158.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.34 BTN 28.92

94.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$3.71 BTN 313

-21.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$3.23 BTN 273

138.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$0.63 BTN 53.0

152.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.08 BTN 91.0

113.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$1.78 BTN 150

-78.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$4.07 BTN 343

262.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$0.88 BTN 74.5

70.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$2.34 BTN 198

-70.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$0.17 BTN 14.64

4170.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$0.91 BTN 77.1

19.78%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

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

$73.0 ₾191

$23.57 BTN 1,989

209.72%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$38.26 BTN 3,229

-68.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$26.70 BTN 2,254

-32.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$48.96 BTN 4,133

24.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$7.69 BTN 649

114.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$3.58 BTN 302

87.15%

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

$269 ₾705

$241 BTN 20.3K

11.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$660 BTN 55.7K

680.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$9.14 BTN 772

737.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$11.54 BTN 974

276.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$32.39 BTN 2,734

271.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$31.64 BTN 2,671

249.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$114 BTN 9,634

502.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$61.9 BTN 5,224

660.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$198 BTN 16.7K

583.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$139 BTN 11.7K

466.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$6,611 BTN 558.1K

-62.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$391 BTN 33.0K

272.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$352 BTN 29.7K

87.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi versus $114 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $18.00 in Thimphu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 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: $1,197 in Tbilisi, $457 in Thimphu – roughly 162% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi and $685 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 $44.00 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 $1,197 in Tbilisi and $457 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 $457, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. 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 $457 in Thimphu 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 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.