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: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $804 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,223 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,642 in Kuching.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 47% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Kuching 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$2.80 MYR 11.08

298.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$20.00 MYR 79.0

115.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$4.68 MYR 18.49

75.64%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.45 MYR 9.69

27.76%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.75 MYR 2.94

-1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.32 MYR 1.27

40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.89 MYR 11.43

-26.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$3.63 MYR 14.33

-17.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$1.12 MYR 4.43

-34.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.02 MYR 4.03

81.37%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.26 MYR 8.91

8.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$9.55 MYR 37.72

-17.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$3.73 MYR 14.72

67.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.99 MYR 31.56

22.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$3.08 MYR 12.18

-60.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.15 MYR 4.54

38.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$2.62 MYR 10.36

-31.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.81 MYR 7.15

28.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.11 MYR 4.40

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.24 MYR 4.89

-45.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-32.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.53 MYR 2.10

33.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$4.22 MYR 16.67

-30.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$21.58 MYR 85.3

-66.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-59.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-33.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.25 MYR 0.99

52.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$11.84 MYR 46.78

25.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.98 MYR 3.88

51.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$1.11 MYR 4.38

-37.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$1.92 MYR 7.60

288.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$0.47 MYR 1.84

144.68%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-60.92%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-45.34%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$40.86 MYR 161

79.74%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$9.15 MYR 36.13

27.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$25.01 MYR 98.8

-28.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$29.43 MYR 116

105.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$9.87 MYR 39.00

66.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$4.72 MYR 18.65

37.92%

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

$263 ₾707

$145 MYR 575

80.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

-16.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$65.8 MYR 260

18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$31.81 MYR 126

39.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$86.1 MYR 340

36.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$71.3 MYR 282

60.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$284 MYR 1,123

143.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$203 MYR 800

128.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$566 MYR 2,237

136.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$378 MYR 1,494

106.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$2,090 MYR 8,254

21.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$1,556 MYR 6,145

-8.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$554 MYR 2,186

14.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

4.27

178.45%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 14% 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 $20.00 in Kuching. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $245, 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, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 14% 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 $284 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 $20.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $804 in Kuching – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Kuching versus $1,185 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 47% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.