Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kuching Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kuching

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $870 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,398 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,926 in Kuching.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 43% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kuching 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$3.40 MYR 13.87

233.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$24.39 MYR 99.6

58.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$4.95 MYR 20.20

92.32%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$3.21 MYR 13.11

6.23%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.75 MYR 3.08

38.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.36 MYR 1.47

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$4.77 MYR 19.45

-45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$6.11 MYR 24.96

-46.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$2.38 MYR 9.73

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$1.27 MYR 5.18

-41.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.17 MYR 4.77

46.15%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$2.49 MYR 10.19

13.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$11.41 MYR 46.59

-19.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$4.30 MYR 17.56

57.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$9.75 MYR 39.81

30.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$3.16 MYR 12.90

-48.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.34 MYR 5.47

32.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$2.47 MYR 10.10

-24.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.79 MYR 7.32

36.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.34 MYR 5.49

-35.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.15 MYR 4.70

-43.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.64 MYR 6.68

-14.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.54 MYR 2.22

37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$4.73 MYR 19.33

-27.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$22.31 MYR 91.1

-65.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$4.11 MYR 16.79

-58.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$5.13 MYR 20.95

-53.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.58 MYR 2.38

-37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$12.49 MYR 51.0

22.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.94 MYR 3.82

25.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$8.44 MYR 34.48

34.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$0.81 MYR 3.31

64.20%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$41.2K MYR 168.0K

-39.93%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$36.5K MYR 149.0K

-39.67%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$35.66 MYR 146

149.19%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$10.22 MYR 41.73

30.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$25.15 MYR 103

-20.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$29.90 MYR 122

129.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$12.21 MYR 49.87

48.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$5.05 MYR 20.61

33.07%

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

$374 ₾971

$136 MYR 553

175.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$7,186 MYR 29.3K

48.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$63.9 MYR 261

58.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$37.13 MYR 152

5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$89.5 MYR 365

31.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$64.5 MYR 263

89.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$360 MYR 1,468

89.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$242 MYR 988

88.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$642 MYR 2,622

102.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$475 MYR 1,939

89.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

$2,104 MYR 8,589

16.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$1,527 MYR 6,233

-4.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$536 MYR 2,188

21.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

4.37

188.79%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $360 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 22% 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: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $24.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $274, 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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $360 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Tbilisi versus $870 in Kuching – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $870 in Kuching versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching 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, Tbilisi and Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.