Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $846 in Penang versus $1,279 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,313 in Penang versus $2,011 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,779 in Penang versus $2,743 in Tbilisi.

Living in Penang costs roughly 34% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Penang 39% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.18

$11.43 ₾29.72

-67.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.03 MYR 81.5

$38.16 ₾99.2

-47.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.66

$9.40 ₾24.45

-48.62%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 11.95

$3.38 ₾8.78

-13.02%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$1.04 ₾2.70

-31.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.60 ₾1.56

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.17

$2.71 ₾7.05

55.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 MYR 18.32

$3.04 ₾7.90

48.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.26

$2.27 ₾5.90

-21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$0.79 ₾2.04

37.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.05

$1.62 ₾4.21

6.79%

Eggs

$2.23 MYR 9.05

$2.74 ₾7.13

-18.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 MYR 54.4

$9.30 ₾24.19

43.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 MYR 17.78

$6.79 ₾17.65

-35.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 MYR 36.60

$13.01 ₾33.84

-30.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.67

$1.64 ₾4.27

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.90

$1.83 ₾4.77

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.64

$1.90 ₾4.94

37.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.94

$2.57 ₾6.68

-43.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.58

$0.84 ₾2.19

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$0.65 ₾1.70

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.51

$1.36 ₾3.54

-18.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.35

$0.80 ₾2.07

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 MYR 18.45

$3.40 ₾8.85

33.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 79.5

$7.67 ₾19.94

154.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.85

$1.68 ₾4.36

73.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 MYR 16.20

$2.38 ₾6.18

67.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.39 ₾1.02

23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.28 MYR 49.95

$15.55 ₾40.44

-21.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 MYR 6.92

$1.14 ₾2.96

49.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.74 ₾1.93

-43.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 MYR 30.97

$11.32 ₾29.42

-32.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MYR 3.40

$1.38 ₾3.60

-39.13%

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

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

$24.6K ₾63.9K

69.26%

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

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

57.98%

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

$37.45 MYR 152

$88.7 ₾231

-57.79%

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

$9.83 MYR 40.01

$13.18 ₾34.26

-25.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 MYR 121

$19.68 ₾51.2

51.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.51 MYR 157

$68.3 ₾177

-43.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.81 MYR 19.57

$17.94 ₾46.65

-73.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.59

$6.42 ₾16.70

-17.29%

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

$435 MYR 1,769

$372 ₾967

16.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

$10.8K ₾28.1K

-1.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 MYR 245

$105 ₾272

-42.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.72 MYR 141

$38.83 ₾101

-10.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 MYR 347

$115 ₾299

-25.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 MYR 288

$122 ₾318

-42.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 MYR 1,623

$681 ₾1,770

-41.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 928

$456 ₾1,185

-49.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 MYR 2,406

$1,312 ₾3,410

-54.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 MYR 1,694

$892 ₾2,321

-53.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,235 MYR 9,094

$2,391 ₾6,216

-6.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,068 MYR 4,346

$1,425 ₾3,704

-25.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$923 MYR 3,754

$640 ₾1,663

44.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

12.62

-66.40%

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

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $399 in Penang and $681 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Penang vs $38.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $255 vs $236, 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

Penang vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Penang, 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: $399 in Penang versus $681 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $846 per month in Penang versus $1,279 in Tbilisi – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Penang versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.