Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Pathein Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Pathein

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $818 in Pathein.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,473 in Pathein.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $2,128 in Pathein.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 46% more expensive than in Pathein, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Pathein 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$1.48 MMK 3,090

637.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$17.39 MMK 36.4K

148.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$5.48 MMK 11.5K

55.66%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$1.46 MMK 3,049

104.79%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.52 MMK 1,091

55.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.48 MMK 1,011

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$0.97 MMK 2,037

122.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$0.97 MMK 2,040

196.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.94 MMK 4,052

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.95 MMK 1,979

-28.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.48 MMK 3,091

25.00%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$1.48 MMK 3,097

70.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$7.41 MMK 15.5K

1.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$5.96 MMK 12.5K

5.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$8.06 MMK 16.9K

18.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$5.62 MMK 11.8K

-79.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.10 MMK 2,299

49.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$2.75 MMK 5,750

-31.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$3.35 MMK 7,023

-33.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$2.48 MMK 5,193

-71.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.55 MMK 3,253

-58.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.52 MMK 1,082

126.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.34 MMK 702

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.69 MMK 3,533

75.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$20.33 MMK 42.6K

-63.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$0.92 MMK 1,916

67.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.21 MMK 2,537

88.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.09 MMK 2,276

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$1.02 MMK 2,128

-32.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$3.02 MMK 6,331

140.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.97 MMK 4,123

-44.67%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$31.6K MMK 66.2M

-42.07%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$32.1K MMK 67.1M

-36.11%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$53.8 MMK 112.7K

38.17%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$11.12 MMK 23.3K

5.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$9.99 MMK 20.9K

76.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$72.7 MMK 152.3K

-17.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$1.98 MMK 4,142

228.79%

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

$269 ₾704

$325 MMK 679.4K

-17.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$4,878 MMK 10.2M

5.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$19.99 MMK 41.9K

285.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$15.22 MMK 31.9K

185.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$49.86 MMK 104.4K

137.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$60.6 MMK 126.9K

86.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$407 MMK 852.7K

74.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$296 MMK 618.7K

57.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$1,084 MMK 2.3M

21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$1,013 MMK 2.1M

-24.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

8.09%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Pathein: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $407 in Pathein. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $17.00 in Pathein. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $244, 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 Pathein: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Pathein differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,191 vs $818 including rent). Pathein is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,787 in Tbilisi and $1,227 in Pathein to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $709 in Tbilisi versus $407 in Pathein. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $325 in Pathein. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pathein – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $818 in Pathein versus $1,191 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pathein but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Pathein the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Pathein 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 Pathein gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.