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: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $813 in Pathein.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $1,486 in Pathein.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $2,159 in Pathein.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 50% more expensive than Pathein, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Pathein 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$1.51 MMK 3,165

618.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$18.01 MMK 37.7K

145.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$5.48 MMK 11.5K

51.09%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.47 MMK 3,067

105.44%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.52 MMK 1,099

46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.48 MMK 1,012

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.01 MMK 2,116

121.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$1.02 MMK 2,133

194.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.85 MMK 3,875

4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.98 MMK 2,054

-26.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.41 MMK 2,949

30.50%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$1.43 MMK 2,997

71.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$7.40 MMK 15.5K

0.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$6.12 MMK 12.8K

5.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$8.15 MMK 17.1K

19.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$5.51 MMK 11.5K

-78.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.09 MMK 2,281

43.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$2.75 MMK 5,762

-34.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$3.24 MMK 6,784

-31.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$2.58 MMK 5,398

-74.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.56 MMK 3,257

-56.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.51 MMK 1,070

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.33 MMK 698

112.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$1.63 MMK 3,411

80.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$19.71 MMK 41.3K

-62.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$0.97 MMK 2,038

56.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$1.20 MMK 2,507

87.50%

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

$1.12 MMK 2,341

33.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$1.02 MMK 2,130

-28.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$2.93 MMK 6,136

154.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$2.06 MMK 4,304

-44.66%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$32.2K MMK 67.4M

-42.47%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$32.2K MMK 67.5M

-37.16%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$55.7 MMK 116.6K

32.69%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$11.23 MMK 23.5K

4.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$10.12 MMK 21.2K

79.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$72.7 MMK 152.2K

-15.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$1.96 MMK 4,114

237.24%

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

$264 ₾700

$320 MMK 670.9K

-17.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$4,774 MMK 10.0M

7.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$20.14 MMK 42.2K

271.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$14.89 MMK 31.2K

195.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$49.34 MMK 103.3K

138.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$60.3 MMK 126.3K

88.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$395 MMK 826.6K

75.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$297 MMK 621.2K

53.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$1,111 MMK 2.3M

19.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$999 MMK 2.1M

-21.09%

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

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Pathein: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $395 in Pathein. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $18.00 in Pathein. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $242, 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $813 including rent). Pathein is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,827 in Tbilisi and $1,219 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $395 in Pathein. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $320 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 $18.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $813 in Pathein versus $1,218 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 50% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.