Bangkok vs Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Tbilisi leads on CPI (26.7 vs 32.8, NYC=100), Tbilisi leads on rent index, and Bangkok leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Tbilisi
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Transport (95% gap, Tbilisi ahead); Salary (95% gap, Bangkok ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $50 lower in Tbilisi than in Bangkok (~7% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $50 (favoring Tbilisi).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Tbilisi | CPI 26.7 vs 32.8 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Tbilisi | Rent index 17.7 vs 18.9 (lower is better) |
| Food | Tbilisi | Groceries index 32.4 vs 41.9 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Tbilisi | One-way ticket 1.18 vs 23.29 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Tbilisi | Utilities (85m²) 95.58 vs 1379.7 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Tbilisi | Internet 65.39 vs 1070.54 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Tbilisi | Restaurant index 26 vs 26.8 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Bangkok | Avg net salary 114055.2 vs 5992.92 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Bangkok | PP index 50.4 vs 35.8 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Transport: Tbilisi leads with a 95% gap.
One-way ticket 1.18 vs 23.29 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Tbilisi — Lower housing / rent index (6% gap).
- Families: Tbilisi — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Tbilisi; purchasing power favors Bangkok.
- Remote Workers: Tbilisi — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Tbilisi (~19% gap).
- Budget Living: Tbilisi — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Tbilisi is the overall cost winner on CPI (~19% lower everyday-cost index than Bangkok).
- Housing: Tbilisi leads on rent index (6% gap).
- Food / groceries: Tbilisi is lower (23% gap).
- Purchasing power: Bangkok scores higher (29% gap).
- Largest category gap: Transport (95%), favoring Tbilisi.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$50 cheaper in Tbilisi.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 32.8/26.7, rent 18.9/17.7, purchasing power 50.4/35.8. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.