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: $242 in Mandalay versus $1,191 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $425 in Mandalay versus $1,856 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $608 in Mandalay versus $2,522 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 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 MMK 4,100

$10.91 ₾28.57

-82.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 MMK 30.1K

$43.19 ₾113

-66.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.32

Cappuccino

$1.32 MMK 2,765

$2.99 ₾7.82

-55.85%

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

$0.87 MMK 1,818

$0.81 ₾2.12

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MMK 2,038

$0.42 ₾1.09

130.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 MMK 1,625

$2.16 ₾5.66

-63.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MMK 2,649

$2.88 ₾7.53

-55.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 MMK 2,032

$1.94 ₾5.08

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 MMK 2,144

$0.68 ₾1.77

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.54 MMK 1,124

$1.85 ₾4.83

-70.81%

Eggs

$0.92 MMK 1,919

$2.53 ₾6.63

-63.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 MMK 21.4K

$7.53 ₾19.70

35.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 MMK 12.4K

$6.26 ₾16.40

-5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.13 MMK 14.9K

$9.59 ₾25.10

-25.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 MMK 8,883

$1.16 ₾3.04

265.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 MMK 2,127

$1.64 ₾4.29

-37.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MMK 2,645

$1.88 ₾4.93

-32.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 MMK 1,430

$2.23 ₾5.84

-69.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 MMK 2,663

$0.70 ₾1.83

81.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MMK 2,535

$0.64 ₾1.68

89.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MMK 806

$1.18 ₾3.10

-66.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 MMK 601

$0.70 ₾1.83

-58.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.98 MMK 2,062

$2.97 ₾7.79

-67.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 MMK 10.4K

$7.43 ₾19.46

-33.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MMK 1,243

$1.54 ₾4.03

-61.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MMK 869

$0.69 ₾1.81

-39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 MMK 8,182

$7.27 ₾19.02

-46.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

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

$18.3K ₾48.0K

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

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

$74.4 ₾195

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

$6.62 MMK 13.9K

$11.71 ₾30.65

-43.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.08

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.84 MMK 37.3K

$60.3 ₾158

-70.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

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

$237 MMK 496.6K

$269 ₾704

-11.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,822 MMK 12.2M

$5,154 ₾13.5K

12.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 MMK 420.9K

$709 ₾1,857

-71.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,216

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 MMK 638.6K

$1,316 ₾3,444

-76.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,525

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,775

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 MMK 416.0K

$663 ₾1,735

-70.03%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Mandalay and $709 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 234% 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 $204 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 392% 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, salaries run 234% lower in Tbilisi. 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: $201 in Mandalay versus $709 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $242 per month in Mandalay versus $1,191 in Tbilisi – a 392% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $242 in Mandalay versus $1,191 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 $242 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 392% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.