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 $2,297 per month in Lake Macquarie vs $1,279 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,641 per month in Lake Macquarie vs $2,011 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,985 per month in Lake Macquarie vs $2,743 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Lake Macquarie costs about 80% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Lake Macquarie sits 67% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.59 A$20.34

$11.43 ₾29.72

27.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 A$118

$38.16 ₾99.2

121.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 A$15.25

$9.40 ₾24.45

16.38%

Cappuccino

$3.62 A$5.05

$3.38 ₾8.78

7.10%

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

$2.53 A$3.53

$1.04 ₾2.70

143.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 A$2.92

$0.60 ₾1.56

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 A$10.06

$2.71 ₾7.05

166.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 A$9.76

$3.04 ₾7.90

130.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.69

$2.27 ₾5.90

-46.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 A$2.13

$0.79 ₾2.04

93.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 A$1.84

$1.62 ₾4.21

-18.52%

Eggs

$3.51 A$4.90

$2.74 ₾7.13

28.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 A$11.27

$9.30 ₾24.19

-13.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 A$9.83

$6.79 ₾17.65

3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 A$17.69

$13.01 ₾33.84

-2.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 A$4.14

$1.64 ₾4.27

81.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.53

$1.83 ₾4.77

38.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 A$5.66

$1.90 ₾4.94

113.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 A$6.54

$2.57 ₾6.68

82.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 A$3.08

$0.84 ₾2.19

163.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 A$2.61

$0.65 ₾1.70

187.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 A$2.17

$1.36 ₾3.54

14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$0.80 ₾2.07

61.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.82 A$42.97

$3.40 ₾8.85

806.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 A$10.90

$7.67 ₾19.94

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 A$4.09

$1.68 ₾4.36

74.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 A$3.27

$2.38 ₾6.18

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 A$4.30

$0.39 ₾1.02

689.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.7 A$122

$15.55 ₾40.44

463.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 A$3.04

$1.14 ₾2.96

91.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 A$4.48

$0.74 ₾1.93

335.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.1 A$83.8

$11.32 ₾29.42

431.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 A$1.86

$1.38 ₾3.60

-3.62%

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

$28.2K A$39.4K

$24.6K ₾63.9K

14.88%

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

$25.6K A$35.7K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

16.49%

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

$239 A$333

$88.7 ₾231

169.56%

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

$11.64 A$16.23

$13.18 ₾34.26

-11.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.99 A$64.1

$19.68 ₾51.2

133.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 A$78.7

$68.3 ₾177

-17.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.18 A$25.34

$17.94 ₾46.65

1.34%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 A$14.15

$6.42 ₾16.70

58.10%

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

$1,619 A$2,257

$372 ₾967

335.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K A$15.1K

$10.8K ₾28.1K

0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 A$98.6

$105 ₾272

-32.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 A$52.8

$38.83 ₾101

-2.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 A$117

$115 ₾299

-26.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 A$159

$122 ₾318

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 A$2,049

$681 ₾1,770

115.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 A$1,529

$456 ₾1,185

140.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 A$3,257

$1,312 ₾3,410

78.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,282 A$3,181

$892 ₾2,321

155.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,755 A$9,417

$2,391 ₾6,216

182.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,129 A$7,150

$1,425 ₾3,704

260.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,093 A$7,100

$640 ₾1,663

696.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

12.62

-65.53%

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

Last update for Lake Macquarie: September 5, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,469 in Lake Macquarie versus $681 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 696% 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 $85.0 in Lake Macquarie versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $236 – 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 80%, 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 $3,445 per month in Lake Macquarie and $1,919 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 $2,297 in Lake Macquarie and $1,279 in Tbilisi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 464% 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 $1,279, than in Lake Macquarie at $2,297. 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.