Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Palembang Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Palembang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $637 in Palembang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Tbilisi versus $997 in Palembang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Tbilisi versus $1,357 in Palembang.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 102% more expensive than in Palembang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Palembang 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ₾30.58

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

946.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₾98.9

$16.40 Rp 289.9K

130.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.43

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

238.19%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.91

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

162.31%

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

$1.06 ₾2.77

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

19.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.24 Rp 4,309

170.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₾7.06

$1.68 Rp 29.7K

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.09

$3.47 Rp 61.4K

-10.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₾5.74

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

101.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₾2.10

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

-29.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

88.51%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.19

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

111.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₾23.52

$7.45 Rp 131.7K

20.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ₾17.10

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

124.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 ₾32.94

$7.94 Rp 140.4K

58.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.36

$2.27 Rp 40.1K

-26.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₾4.73

$1.40 Rp 24.7K

29.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₾5.04

$1.97 Rp 34.9K

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ₾6.76

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

91.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

-22.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$1.70 Rp 30.0K

-61.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₾3.63

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

78.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.08

$0.44 Rp 7,762

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.78

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

46.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₾19.68

$20.86 Rp 368.9K

-63.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₾4.21

$1.85 Rp 32.8K

-12.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.86

$3.05 Rp 53.9K

-26.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.40 Rp 7,080

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$0.52 Rp 9,201

125.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₾2.09

$0.36 Rp 6,284

122.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 ₾29.58

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

349.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

64.20%

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

$25.0K ₾65.2K

$23.4K Rp 414.0M

6.75%

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

$22.4K ₾58.4K

$31.5K Rp 556.9M

-28.93%

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

$89.1 ₾233

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

13.57%

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

$13.25 ₾34.58

$4.33 Rp 76.6K

206.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₾50.8

$19.35 Rp 342.2K

0.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 ₾179

$20.15 Rp 356.4K

239.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 ₾48.77

$9.64 Rp 170.5K

93.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₾17.32

$2.91 Rp 51.4K

127.84%

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

$363 ₾949

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

281.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$7,599 Rp 134.4M

40.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾270

$43.47 Rp 768.7K

138.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 ₾101

$30.49 Rp 539.1K

27.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

62.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

69.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,782

$225 Rp 4.0M

203.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₾1,166

$158 Rp 2.8M

182.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,353

$542 Rp 9.6M

137.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₾2,401

$417 Rp 7.4M

120.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₾6,492

$1,274 Rp 22.5M

95.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₾3,715

$656 Rp 11.6M

116.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₾1,686

$313 Rp 5.5M

106.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

9.46

34.57%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Palembang: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $225 in Palembang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 107% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $16.00 in Palembang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $199 per month, with Palembang 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 Palembang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palembang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 107% 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 $225 in Palembang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $363 in Tbilisi versus $95.2 in Palembang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Palembang – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $637 in Palembang versus $1,286 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palembang but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Palembang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Palembang 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 Palembang 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 Palembang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.