Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tawau and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Tawau: $932 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Tawau
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Tawau Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Tawau

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$932

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tawau and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tawau and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $932 per month in Tawau vs $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Tawau $932
Tbilisi $1,269

A couple spends around $1,391 per month in Tawau vs $2,016 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Tawau $1,391
Tbilisi $2,016

A family of three spends $1,851 per month in Tawau vs $2,763 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Tawau $1,851
Tbilisi $2,763

Tawau is about 27% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tawau and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 32% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 MYR 13.22

$11.63 ₾30.07

-72.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 MYR 79.9

$37.83 ₾97.8

-48.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 MYR 17.13

$9.66 ₾24.98

-56.52%

Cappuccino

$3.06 MYR 12.46

$3.57 ₾9.24

-14.29%

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

$0.94 MYR 3.81

$1.08 ₾2.78

-12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$0.56 ₾1.45

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 MYR 11.04

$2.62 ₾6.78

3.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 MYR 18.68

$3.04 ₾7.85

50.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.28

$2.17 ₾5.60

-17.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$0.80 ₾2.06

28.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$1.74 ₾4.51

-17.82%

Eggs

$2.24 MYR 9.15

$2.83 ₾7.31

-20.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 MYR 47.71

$9.31 ₾24.07

25.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 MYR 17.86

$6.52 ₾16.85

-32.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 MYR 38.50

$12.95 ₾33.50

-27.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MYR 12.63

$1.68 ₾4.34

84.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.25

$1.85 ₾4.79

-17.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 MYR 10.36

$1.97 ₾5.10

28.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.53

$2.42 ₾6.25

-43.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.75

$0.82 ₾2.11

71.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.93

$0.74 ₾1.91

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.60

$1.34 ₾3.47

-15.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.10

$0.77 ₾2.00

-32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MYR 18.09

$3.57 ₾9.24

24.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.05 MYR 77.6

$7.67 ₾19.83

148.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.33

$1.70 ₾4.39

78.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 MYR 18.73

$2.40 ₾6.21

91.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.83

$0.40 ₾1.05

72.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.10 MYR 45.21

$15.23 ₾39.38

-27.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.14 ₾2.95

5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MYR 2.19

$0.78 ₾2.02

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.62 MYR 31.05

$11.83 ₾30.58

-35.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$1.45 ₾3.75

-46.21%

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

$51.4K MYR 209.3K

$24.6K ₾63.6K

109.04%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.0K

$22.3K ₾57.8K

56.05%

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

$50.5 MYR 206

$88.8 ₾230

-43.12%

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

$10.55 MYR 42.97

$13.12 ₾33.93

-19.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 MYR 114

$19.67 ₾50.9

42.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.09 MYR 176

$64.1 ₾166

-32.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.77 MYR 27.60

$19.04 ₾49.24

-64.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.71 MYR 15.12

$7.12 ₾18.42

-47.89%

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

$240 MYR 979

$375 ₾971

-35.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,864 MYR 32.0K

$10.5K ₾27.1K

-24.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 MYR 227

$104 ₾268

-46.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 MYR 146

$39.26 ₾102

-8.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 MYR 307

$117 ₾303

-35.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.2 MYR 278

$122 ₾315

-43.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MYR 1,875

$695 ₾1,798

-33.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MYR 1,284

$451 ₾1,167

-30.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 MYR 3,178

$1,355 ₾3,504

-42.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$519 MYR 2,115

$906 ₾2,343

-42.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,240 MYR 9,125

$2,295 ₾5,934

-2.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,307 MYR 5,325

$1,345 ₾3,478

-2.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$424 MYR 1,727

$664 ₾1,718

-36.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

12.62

-67.83%

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

Last update for Tawau: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tawau

$315 33.8%

Tbilisi

$451 35.6% 43.1% $136

Groceries & Markets

Tawau

$250 26.9%

Tbilisi

$234 18.4% 6.5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Tawau

$106 11.4%

Tbilisi

$172 13.5% 62.5% $66

Eating Out

Tawau

$103 11.1%

Tbilisi

$191 15% 84.8% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tawau

$89 9.6%

Tbilisi

$122 9.6% 36.4% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Tawau

$51 5.4%

Tbilisi

$78 6.2% 55% $28

Getting Around

Tawau

$18 1.9%

Tbilisi

$22 1.7% 23.3% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Tawau versus $695 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 57% higher in Tbilisi. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Tawau versus $38 in Tbilisi. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Tawau vs $234 in Tbilisi – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Tawau

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

04:33 4:33 AM

00:33 12:33 AM

4 h behind Tawau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

420,806

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tawau Tbilisi 8,290 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Tawau
Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Tawau vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 36% more than Tawau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Tawau and $1,904 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tawau, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $460 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Tawau and $38 in Tbilisi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $932 in Tawau and $1,269 in Tbilisi. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Tawau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Tawau. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.