Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Macquarie and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Macquarie and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,050 per month in Lake Macquarie vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,291 per month in Lake Macquarie vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Lake Macquarie vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Lake Macquarie costs about 70% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Lake Macquarie sits 53% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.76 A$17.88

$10.80 ₾28.70

18.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$109

$43.18 ₾115

79.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 A$13.62

$8.29 ₾22.03

17.25%

Cappuccino

$3.28 A$4.59

$3.00 ₾7.96

9.33%

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

$2.38 A$3.34

$0.82 ₾2.17

190.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 A$2.66

$0.46 ₾1.21

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 A$9.16

$2.23 ₾5.93

193.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 A$10.00

$2.92 ₾7.75

144.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.93 ₾5.11

-27.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 A$1.95

$0.68 ₾1.81

104.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 A$1.64

$1.88 ₾4.99

-37.77%

Eggs

$3.15 A$4.41

$2.54 ₾6.73

24.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 A$10.50

$7.42 ₾19.70

0.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 A$8.69

$6.19 ₾16.43

0.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 A$16.69

$9.36 ₾24.86

27.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.28

$1.22 ₾3.25

150.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 A$3.77

$1.66 ₾4.40

62.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.29

$1.80 ₾4.78

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 A$5.97

$2.24 ₾5.96

90.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 A$2.71

$0.71 ₾1.89

171.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 A$2.34

$0.67 ₾1.79

149.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 A$2.00

$1.18 ₾3.13

21.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 A$1.58

$0.66 ₾1.76

71.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$27.55 A$38.60

$2.98 ₾7.91

824.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 A$10.81

$7.61 ₾20.21

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 A$3.58

$1.54 ₾4.08

66.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 A$3.12

$2.25 ₾5.98

-0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 A$2.94

$0.36 ₾0.95

483.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.1 A$126

$14.44 ₾38.36

523.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 A$2.65

$1.49 ₾3.96

26.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 A$2.27

$0.68 ₾1.82

138.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.90 A$65.7

$7.23 ₾19.19

548.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.73

$1.14 ₾3.04

7.89%

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

$25.7K A$36.0K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

39.15%

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

$20.2K A$28.3K

$20.0K ₾53.0K

1.11%

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

$204 A$286

$73.7 ₾196

176.82%

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

$10.26 A$14.38

$11.64 ₾30.91

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.81 A$60.0

$17.84 ₾47.39

139.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.68 A$69.6

$60.1 ₾160

-17.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.02 A$22.44

$16.80 ₾44.63

-4.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 A$13.02

$6.60 ₾17.54

40.91%

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

$1,443 A$2,023

$266 ₾708

441.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,890 A$13.9K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

90.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 A$105

$77.7 ₾206

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.74 A$47.28

$44.75 ₾119

-24.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 A$108

$117 ₾310

-34.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 A$186

$113 ₾300

17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 A$1,741

$693 ₾1,839

79.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$998 A$1,398

$462 ₾1,226

116.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 A$2,808

$1,320 ₾3,505

51.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,080 A$2,914

$774 ₾2,056

168.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,008 A$8,418

$2,430 ₾6,455

147.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,074 A$7,110

$1,446 ₾3,840

250.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,034 A$7,054

$673 ₾1,787

648.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

11.89

-63.41%

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

Last update for Lake Macquarie: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,242 in Lake Macquarie versus $693 in Tbilisi. 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 648% higher in Lake Macquarie, 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 $78.0 in Lake Macquarie versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $203 – making Tbilisi 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

Lake Macquarie vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lake Macquarie is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,075 per month in Lake Macquarie and $1,813 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,050 in Lake Macquarie and $1,209 in Tbilisi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 524% less in Tbilisi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,209, than in Lake Macquarie at $2,050. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lake Macquarie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lake Macquarie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.