Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Johor Bahru versus $1,247 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Johor Bahru versus $2,025 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,050 in Johor Bahru versus $2,803 in Tbilisi.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 16% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 23% lower, Tbilisi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 MYR 15.05

$11.33 ₾29.44

-67.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.22 MYR 86.9

$38.71 ₾101

-45.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 MYR 20.01

$9.52 ₾24.72

-48.63%

Cappuccino

$2.93 MYR 12.01

$3.41 ₾8.85

-14.08%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$1.04 ₾2.71

-19.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$0.64 ₾1.66

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 MYR 17.97

$2.61 ₾6.79

68.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 MYR 25.88

$3.24 ₾8.43

95.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$2.17 ₾5.65

-23.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$0.74 ₾1.92

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.86

$1.71 ₾4.45

-16.37%

Eggs

$1.68 MYR 6.89

$2.83 ₾7.36

-40.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.49 MYR 75.7

$9.22 ₾23.95

100.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MYR 19.13

$6.76 ₾17.55

-30.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MYR 43.91

$12.77 ₾33.17

-15.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.48

$1.64 ₾4.26

100.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.21

$1.77 ₾4.60

-0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MYR 15.34

$1.87 ₾4.85

100.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$2.44 ₾6.34

-31.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.79

$0.87 ₾2.25

62.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$0.65 ₾1.70

156.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.40 ₾3.64

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$0.74 ₾1.93

-27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 17.32

$3.41 ₾8.86

24.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 MYR 58.9

$7.60 ₾19.75

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 12.11

$1.70 ₾4.41

74.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MYR 12.63

$2.38 ₾6.20

29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.93

$0.36 ₾0.94

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.16 MYR 49.79

$15.24 ₾39.60

-20.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 MYR 5.84

$1.18 ₾3.07

21.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 MYR 3.09

$0.76 ₾1.97

-1.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.99 MYR 40.88

$11.34 ₾29.46

-11.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.36

$1.33 ₾3.46

-38.35%

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

$42.6K MYR 174.3K

$24.7K ₾64.2K

72.20%

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

$35.7K MYR 146.2K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

62.14%

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

$53.6 MYR 219

$88.9 ₾231

-39.73%

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

$11.39 MYR 46.60

$13.33 ₾34.63

-14.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.27 MYR 116

$20.12 ₾52.3

40.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 MYR 165

$68.7 ₾178

-41.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 23.72

$18.09 ₾47.00

-67.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MYR 19.61

$6.72 ₾17.45

-28.72%

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

$161 MYR 658

$374 ₾971

-57.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,523 MYR 18.5K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

-57.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 MYR 220

$101 ₾263

-46.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.30 MYR 66.7

$39.33 ₾102

-58.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 MYR 340

$118 ₾305

-29.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 MYR 401

$122 ₾318

-19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 MYR 2,108

$682 ₾1,773

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,625

$456 ₾1,186

-13.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 MYR 3,702

$1,303 ₾3,384

-30.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 MYR 2,615

$899 ₾2,337

-28.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,058 MYR 8,423

$2,449 ₾6,364

-15.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,177 MYR 4,818

$1,452 ₾3,773

-18.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,090 MYR 4,460

$652 ₾1,695

67.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

12.62

-67.83%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Johor Bahru and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 67% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Johor Bahru vs $39.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $232, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Johor Bahru vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johor Bahru and Tbilisi differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $1,247 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% higher in Johor Bahru, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Johor Bahru versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,048 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,247 in Tbilisi – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,048 in Johor Bahru versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru 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, Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.