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: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $238 in Mandalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $422 in Mandalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $605 in Mandalay.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 398% more expensive than Mandalay, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Mandalay 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$2.04 MMK 4,277

446.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$14.00 MMK 29.4K

208.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.26 MMK 2,640

148.41%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.82 MMK 1,720

-9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.97 MMK 2,042

-53.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$0.77 MMK 1,611

176.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$1.27 MMK 2,673

135.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.02 MMK 2,132

85.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$1.02 MMK 2,151

-28.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.54 MMK 1,127

242.59%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$0.97 MMK 2,042

152.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$9.99 MMK 21.0K

-21.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$5.94 MMK 12.5K

5.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.05 MMK 14.8K

38.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$4.18 MMK 8,770

-71.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.01 MMK 2,127

57.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.33 MMK 2,791

34.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$0.68 MMK 1,436

241.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.31 MMK 2,753

-45.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.17 MMK 2,466

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.38 MMK 803

210.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.29 MMK 599

144.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$0.99 MMK 2,071

194.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$4.97 MMK 10.4K

45.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$0.56 MMK 1,186

176.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.42 MMK 875

64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$4.10 MMK 8,600

81.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

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

$73.4 ₾198

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$6.60 MMK 13.9K

76.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$18.27 MMK 38.3K

231.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

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

$263 ₾707

$236 MMK 495.8K

11.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$5,642 MMK 11.8M

-8.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$203 MMK 426.5K

241.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$297 MMK 624.3K

349.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$202 MMK 423.0K

213.91%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mandalay: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $203 in Mandalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 214% 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 $14.00 in Mandalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $167 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 398% 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 214% 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 $203 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 $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $238 in Mandalay – a 398% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $238 in Mandalay versus $1,185 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 $238 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 398% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.