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: $966 in Johor Bahru versus $1,185 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Johor Bahru versus $1,834 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in Johor Bahru versus $2,483 in Tbilisi.

Living in Johor Bahru costs roughly 18% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johor Bahru 28% lower, Tbilisi 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 13.93

$11.15 ₾30.00

-68.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 MYR 73.8

$43.13 ₾116

-56.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 MYR 18.82

$8.22 ₾22.11

-42.09%

Cappuccino

$3.01 MYR 11.90

$3.13 ₾8.42

-3.83%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.35

$0.74 ₾2.00

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.45 ₾1.22

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 13.85

$2.13 ₾5.74

64.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 MYR 26.71

$2.99 ₾8.06

126.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.11

$1.89 ₾5.09

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$0.73 ₾1.97

34.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$1.85 ₾4.98

-32.97%

Eggs

$1.84 MYR 7.26

$2.45 ₾6.58

-24.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 MYR 42.16

$7.85 ₾21.12

35.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.01

$6.25 ₾16.82

-43.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 MYR 32.60

$9.77 ₾26.28

-15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 MYR 10.51

$1.21 ₾3.26

119.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.76

$1.59 ₾4.28

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.16

$1.79 ₾4.81

43.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.93

$2.32 ₾6.25

-46.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.51

$0.71 ₾1.91

60.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.30

$0.67 ₾1.81

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$1.18 ₾3.16

-20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.04

$0.71 ₾1.92

-26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.47

$2.92 ₾7.85

42.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.50 MYR 57.3

$7.25 ₾19.50

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.59

$1.55 ₾4.17

72.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.53

$2.31 ₾6.21

26.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.86

$0.38 ₾1.03

89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 MYR 46.65

$14.81 ₾39.83

-20.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.84

$1.48 ₾3.98

-34.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.04

$0.69 ₾1.86

47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.09 MYR 35.92

$7.45 ₾20.05

22.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$1.15 ₾3.10

-59.13%

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

$34.8K MYR 137.4K

$18.0K ₾48.4K

93.23%

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

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

$19.8K ₾53.4K

41.75%

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

$40.87 MYR 161

$73.4 ₾198

-44.35%

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

$9.23 MYR 36.44

$11.64 ₾31.32

-20.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 MYR 121

$17.77 ₾47.79

72.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.09 MYR 139

$60.6 ₾163

-42.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 MYR 22.99

$16.44 ₾44.21

-64.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MYR 19.35

$6.51 ₾17.52

-24.73%

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

$191 MYR 755

$263 ₾707

-27.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,900 MYR 27.3K

$5,136 ₾13.8K

34.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.07 MYR 194

$77.7 ₾209

-36.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 MYR 75.6

$44.39 ₾119

-56.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 MYR 214

$118 ₾317

-53.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.65 MYR 157

$114 ₾307

-65.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,848

$693 ₾1,865

-32.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MYR 1,565

$462 ₾1,244

-14.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 MYR 3,331

$1,337 ₾3,597

-36.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 MYR 2,366

$779 ₾2,096

-23.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$2,530 ₾6,805

-17.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,190 MYR 4,700

$1,430 ₾3,847

-16.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,155 MYR 4,562

$633 ₾1,702

82.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

11.89

-65.77%

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

Last update for Johor Bahru: April 25, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $468 in Johor Bahru and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Johor Bahru vs $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $206, 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 23% in total monthly costs ($966 vs $1,185 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Johor Bahru pays 83% more on average, 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: $468 in Johor Bahru versus $693 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 $19.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $966 per month in Johor Bahru versus $1,185 in Tbilisi – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $966 in Johor Bahru versus $1,185 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 23% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.