Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kuala Lumpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kuala Lumpur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,120 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,685 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,251 in Kuala Lumpur, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 14% more than Kuala Lumpur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Kuala Lumpur are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Kuala Lumpur 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$5.07 MYR 20.62

125.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$29.14 MYR 119

30.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$4.81 MYR 19.56

95.43%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$3.17 MYR 12.89

6.62%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.82 MYR 3.32

26.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.46 MYR 1.89

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$4.43 MYR 18.02

-38.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$6.00 MYR 24.40

-49.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$2.12 MYR 8.61

7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$1.11 MYR 4.52

-28.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$2.10 MYR 8.55

-22.86%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$2.49 MYR 10.12

10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$15.53 MYR 63.2

-40.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$4.93 MYR 20.07

37.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$9.63 MYR 39.17

35.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$3.38 MYR 13.76

-51.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.87 MYR 7.61

-2.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$2.39 MYR 9.71

-20.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.63 MYR 6.63

57.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.36 MYR 5.55

-38.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.45 MYR 5.91

-55.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.15 MYR 4.68

18.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.74 MYR 3.02

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$4.41 MYR 17.96

-22.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$18.84 MYR 76.7

-59.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$3.54 MYR 14.42

-52.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$5.03 MYR 20.45

-52.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.77 MYR 3.11

-49.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$12.27 MYR 49.93

26.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-5.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.23 MYR 4.99

-39.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$4.93 MYR 20.04

129.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.76 MYR 3.11

81.58%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$42.8K MYR 174.0K

-42.54%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$35.4K MYR 144.0K

-37.84%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$63.5 MYR 258

39.84%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$9.41 MYR 38.29

40.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$26.74 MYR 109

-26.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$50.4 MYR 205

35.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$7.64 MYR 31.07

134.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$5.54 MYR 22.55

15.88%

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

$372 ₾967

$302 MYR 1,230

22.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$12.7K MYR 51.6K

-14.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$73.6 MYR 299

42.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$42.08 MYR 171

-7.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$88.7 MYR 361

29.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$97.0 MYR 395

26.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$607 MYR 2,470

12.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$367 MYR 1,492

24.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$1,213 MYR 4,933

8.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$642 MYR 2,612

39.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$4,079 MYR 16.6K

-41.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,535 MYR 6,246

-7.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$1,493 MYR 6,075

-57.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

4.2

200.48%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lumpur: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Tbilisi versus $607 in Kuala Lumpur. 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 133% higher in Kuala Lumpur, 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 $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Tbilisi vs $283 in Kuala Lumpur – 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

Tbilisi vs Kuala Lumpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,919 per month in Tbilisi and $1,680 in Kuala Lumpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi and $29.00 in Kuala Lumpur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuala Lumpur, where all-in costs run around $1,120, than in Tbilisi at $1,279. In Kuala Lumpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Kuala Lumpur. 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.