Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandalay and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandalay and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $238 in Mandalay versus $1,185 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $422 in Mandalay versus $1,834 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $605 in Mandalay versus $2,483 in Tbilisi.

Living in Mandalay costs roughly 80% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandalay 82% lower, Tbilisi 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 MMK 4,277

$11.15 ₾30.00

-81.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 MMK 29.4K

$43.13 ₾116

-67.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

Cappuccino

$1.26 MMK 2,640

$3.13 ₾8.42

-59.74%

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

$0.82 MMK 1,720

$0.74 ₾2.00

10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MMK 2,042

$0.45 ₾1.22

115.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 MMK 1,611

$2.13 ₾5.74

-63.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MMK 2,673

$2.99 ₾8.06

-57.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 MMK 2,132

$1.89 ₾5.09

-46.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MMK 2,151

$0.73 ₾1.97

39.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.54 MMK 1,127

$1.85 ₾4.98

-70.81%

Eggs

$0.97 MMK 2,042

$2.45 ₾6.58

-60.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 MMK 21.0K

$7.85 ₾21.12

27.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 MMK 12.5K

$6.25 ₾16.82

-4.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 MMK 14.8K

$9.77 ₾26.28

-27.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 MMK 8,770

$1.21 ₾3.26

245.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 MMK 2,127

$1.59 ₾4.28

-36.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 MMK 2,791

$1.79 ₾4.81

-25.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 MMK 1,436

$2.32 ₾6.25

-70.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 MMK 2,753

$0.71 ₾1.91

84.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MMK 2,466

$0.67 ₾1.81

74.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 MMK 803

$1.18 ₾3.16

-67.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 MMK 599

$0.71 ₾1.92

-59.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.99 MMK 2,071

$2.92 ₾7.85

-66.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 MMK 10.4K

$7.25 ₾19.50

-31.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MMK 1,186

$1.55 ₾4.17

-63.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MMK 875

$0.69 ₾1.86

-39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 MMK 8,600

$7.45 ₾20.05

-44.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

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

$73.4 ₾198

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

$6.60 MMK 13.9K

$11.64 ₾31.32

-43.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.27 MMK 38.3K

$60.6 ₾163

-69.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

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

$236 MMK 495.8K

$263 ₾707

-10.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,642 MMK 11.8M

$5,136 ₾13.8K

9.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 MMK 426.5K

$693 ₾1,865

-70.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 MMK 624.3K

$1,337 ₾3,597

-77.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$202 MMK 423.0K

$633 ₾1,702

-68.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

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

Last update for Mandalay: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Mandalay and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 214% 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: $14.00 in Mandalay vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $206 per month, with Mandalay 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

Mandalay vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandalay wins on cost – living expenses run 398% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandalay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Tbilisi earns 214% less. 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 Mandalay versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $238 per month in Mandalay versus $1,185 in Tbilisi – a 398% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $238 in Mandalay versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mandalay but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Mandalay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mandalay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $238 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mandalay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mandalay 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 Mandalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 398% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.