Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kota Kinabalu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kota Kinabalu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $840 in Kota Kinabalu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,352 in Kota Kinabalu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,865 in Kota Kinabalu.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 44% more expensive than Kota Kinabalu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Kota Kinabalu 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$3.50 MYR 13.98

208.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$19.05 MYR 76.0

126.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$4.67 MYR 18.65

77.52%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$2.60 MYR 10.38

15.38%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.69 MYR 2.74

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.37 MYR 1.47

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.38 MYR 9.51

-6.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$3.51 MYR 14.00

-16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.68 MYR 6.70

14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.24 MYR 4.94

-45.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$1.70 MYR 6.77

10.59%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$2.89 MYR 11.55

-12.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$25.74 MYR 103

-71.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$3.44 MYR 13.73

79.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$7.43 MYR 29.63

25.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$2.56 MYR 10.22

-52.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.16 MYR 4.65

43.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$3.14 MYR 12.54

-42.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.91 MYR 7.63

17.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.52 MYR 6.06

-53.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.71 MYR 6.83

-60.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.13 MYR 4.52

4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.47 MYR 1.89

40.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$4.23 MYR 16.89

-29.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$16.30 MYR 65.0

-53.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.85 MYR 7.40

-16.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.61 MYR 6.41

39.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.51 MYR 6.04

-76.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$41.03 MYR 164

-64.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.90 MYR 7.59

-21.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.46 MYR 1.85

47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$5.75 MYR 22.95

25.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.46 MYR 1.83

147.83%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$29.6K MYR 118.0K

-37.56%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$27.1K MYR 108.3K

-26.44%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$51.6 MYR 206

42.68%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$9.22 MYR 36.78

26.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$32.25 MYR 129

-44.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$43.54 MYR 174

38.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$2.99 MYR 11.95

461.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$4.73 MYR 18.88

39.53%

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

$266 ₾708

$132 MYR 526

102.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$4,506 MYR 18.0K

15.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$60.6 MYR 242

28.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$22.99 MYR 91.7

94.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$71.4 MYR 285

63.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$94.5 MYR 377

19.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$372 MYR 1,482

86.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$168 MYR 671

174.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$641 MYR 2,556

106.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$368 MYR 1,470

110.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$1,889 MYR 7,539

28.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$1,133 MYR 4,521

27.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$598 MYR 2,385

12.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

3.8

212.89%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kota Kinabalu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $372 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 13% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $19.00 in Kota Kinabalu. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $269, 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

Tbilisi vs Kota Kinabalu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota Kinabalu wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kota Kinabalu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tbilisi pays 13% more on average, 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $372 in Kota Kinabalu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kota Kinabalu runs roughly 184% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $132 in Kota Kinabalu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $840 in Kota Kinabalu versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kota Kinabalu but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kota Kinabalu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kota Kinabalu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $840 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kota Kinabalu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Kota Kinabalu 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 Kota Kinabalu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.