Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,247 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Balikpapan versus $2,025 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Balikpapan versus $2,803 in Tbilisi.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 46% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Balikpapan 51% lower, Tbilisi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$11.33 ₾29.45

-87.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

$38.71 ₾101

-71.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

$9.52 ₾24.73

-66.70%

Cappuccino

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

$3.41 ₾8.85

-57.48%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,782

$1.04 ₾2.71

-63.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,529

$0.64 ₾1.66

-42.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

$2.61 ₾6.79

-8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

$3.24 ₾8.43

8.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

$2.17 ₾5.65

-45.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$0.74 ₾1.92

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

$1.71 ₾4.45

-31.58%

Eggs

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

$2.83 ₾7.36

-8.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

$9.22 ₾23.95

-20.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

$6.76 ₾17.55

-56.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

$12.77 ₾33.17

-46.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.64 ₾4.26

39.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

$1.77 ₾4.60

-28.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$1.87 ₾4.85

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$2.44 ₾6.34

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

$0.87 ₾2.25

50.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

$0.65 ₾1.70

209.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.40 ₾3.64

-47.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$0.74 ₾1.93

-6.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$3.41 ₾8.86

-44.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

$7.60 ₾19.75

171.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.70 ₾4.41

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$2.38 ₾6.20

26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 Rp 9,817

$0.36 ₾0.94

52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$1.18 ₾3.07

-2.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,944

$0.76 ₾1.97

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

$11.34 ₾29.47

-74.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.33 ₾3.46

-42.86%

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

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

$24.7K ₾64.2K

-4.92%

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

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

$22.0K ₾57.2K

41.54%

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

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$88.9 ₾231

-21.36%

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

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$13.33 ₾34.63

-66.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

$20.12 ₾52.3

47.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

$68.7 ₾178

-64.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

$18.09 ₾47.01

-52.24%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$6.72 ₾17.46

-57.59%

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

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

$374 ₾971

-74.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

$10.7K ₾27.8K

-35.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

$101 ₾263

-62.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

$39.33 ₾102

-50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 Rp 2.5M

$118 ₾305

20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$122 ₾318

-42.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 Rp 3.6M

$682 ₾1,773

-70.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$456 ₾1,186

-65.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 Rp 9.9M

$1,303 ₾3,385

-57.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 Rp 6.5M

$899 ₾2,337

-59.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

$2,449 ₾6,365

-55.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 Rp 12.6M

$1,452 ₾3,774

-51.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 Rp 4.3M

$652 ₾1,695

-62.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

12.62

-25.04%

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

Last update for Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Balikpapan and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 166% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $11.00 in Balikpapan vs $39.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $232 per month, with Balikpapan cheaper across the board.

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

Balikpapan vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balikpapan and Tbilisi differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($672 vs $1,247 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 166% lower in Tbilisi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $203 in Balikpapan versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.7 in Balikpapan versus $374 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Balikpapan and Tbilisi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.