Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mandalay Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mandalay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $240 in Mandalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $432 in Mandalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $624 in Mandalay.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 407% more expensive than Mandalay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Mandalay 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$1.95 MMK 4,093

456.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$14.31 MMK 30.0K

208.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.31 MMK 2,750

130.53%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.83 MMK 1,741

-8.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.98 MMK 2,055

-53.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$0.84 MMK 1,759

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$1.22 MMK 2,563

145.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$0.98 MMK 2,042

96.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$1.02 MMK 2,127

-29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$0.53 MMK 1,110

247.17%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$0.94 MMK 1,959

160.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$10.03 MMK 21.0K

-25.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$5.90 MMK 12.3K

9.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$6.91 MMK 14.5K

40.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$4.13 MMK 8,654

-70.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.02 MMK 2,140

52.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.32 MMK 2,766

35.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$0.72 MMK 1,513

209.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.33 MMK 2,789

-51.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.17 MMK 2,440

-41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.38 MMK 796

213.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.29 MMK 604

141.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$0.99 MMK 2,066

197.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$5.14 MMK 10.8K

42.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$0.56 MMK 1,167

171.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.38 MMK 805

92.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$4.09 MMK 8,561

82.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

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

$73.9 ₾196

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$6.47 MMK 13.6K

80.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$18.25 MMK 38.2K

238.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

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

$264 ₾700

$240 MMK 502.4K

10.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$5,807 MMK 12.2M

-11.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$204 MMK 426.7K

239.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$302 MMK 632.9K

337.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$200 MMK 417.7K

223.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mandalay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $204 in Mandalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 223% 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: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $14.00 in Mandalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $166 per month, with Mandalay cheaper across the board.

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 Mandalay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandalay wins on cost – living expenses run 407% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandalay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tbilisi pays 223% 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $204 in Mandalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Tbilisi versus $240 in Mandalay – a 407% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $240 in Mandalay versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mandalay but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Mandalay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mandalay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $240 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mandalay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Mandalay 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 Mandalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 407% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.