Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Petaling Jaya and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,191 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $1,856 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Petaling Jaya vs $2,522 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Petaling Jaya is about 23% cheaper than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Petaling Jaya and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Petaling Jaya 32% lower, Tbilisi 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 MYR 14.29

$10.91 ₾28.57

-67.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 78.3

$43.19 ₾113

-55.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.54

$8.53 ₾22.32

-43.96%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.99 ₾7.82

-7.02%

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

$0.72 MYR 2.96

$0.81 ₾2.12

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.42 ₾1.09

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.77

$2.16 ₾5.66

67.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MYR 20.15

$2.88 ₾7.53

71.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MYR 7.83

$1.94 ₾5.08

-1.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$0.68 ₾1.77

36.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.32

$1.85 ₾4.83

-3.24%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.98

$2.53 ₾6.63

-13.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 MYR 43.01

$7.53 ₾19.70

39.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.93

$6.26 ₾16.40

-45.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 MYR 33.84

$9.59 ₾25.10

-13.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.84

$1.16 ₾3.04

128.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.88

$1.64 ₾4.29

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 MYR 10.33

$1.88 ₾4.93

34.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$2.23 ₾5.84

-46.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$0.70 ₾1.83

68.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.68

$0.64 ₾1.68

117.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.93

$1.18 ₾3.10

-18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.70 ₾1.83

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.18

$2.97 ₾7.79

41.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 MYR 81.4

$7.43 ₾19.46

168.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.36

$1.54 ₾4.03

80.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MYR 16.21

$2.28 ₾5.98

74.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$0.36 ₾0.93

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 47.38

$14.73 ₾38.56

-21.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.42 ₾3.71

-28.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MYR 1.34

$0.69 ₾1.81

-52.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 38.49

$7.27 ₾19.02

29.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$1.09 ₾2.86

-57.80%

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

$31.0K MYR 126.8K

$18.3K ₾48.0K

69.36%

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

$28.3K MYR 115.5K

$20.5K ₾53.6K

37.93%

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

$40.45 MYR 165

$74.4 ₾195

-45.60%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.52

$11.71 ₾30.65

-21.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 MYR 92.5

$17.60 ₾46.08

28.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.27 MYR 152

$60.3 ₾158

-38.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.35 MYR 30.02

$16.29 ₾42.65

-54.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.96

$6.51 ₾17.03

-25.04%

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

$208 MYR 851

$269 ₾704

-22.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,031 MYR 32.8K

$5,154 ₾13.5K

55.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.20 MYR 197

$77.1 ₾202

-37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 MYR 142

$43.48 ₾114

-20.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 MYR 221

$118 ₾310

-54.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.14 MYR 201

$113 ₾295

-56.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,882

$709 ₾1,857

-35.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,390

$465 ₾1,216

-26.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 MYR 3,378

$1,316 ₾3,444

-37.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 MYR 2,198

$767 ₾2,007

-29.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,118 MYR 12.7K

$2,492 ₾6,525

25.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$204 MYR 835

$1,442 ₾3,775

-85.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 MYR 7,210

$663 ₾1,735

166.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

11.89

-62.24%

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

Last update for Petaling Jaya: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Petaling Jaya versus $709 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 166% higher in Petaling Jaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Petaling Jaya versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Petaling Jaya vs $204 in Tbilisi – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Petaling Jaya vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 31% more than Petaling Jaya, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,367 per month in Petaling Jaya and $1,787 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 27% less in Petaling Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $208 per month in Petaling Jaya and $269 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petaling Jaya costs $912 versus $1,191 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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