Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Penang Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Penang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $867 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,368 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,870 in Penang.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 37% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Penang 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.57

$3.08 MYR 12.58

254.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$21.63 MYR 88.4

99.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.32

$4.15 MYR 16.96

105.54%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.82

$2.97 MYR 12.13

0.67%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.74 MYR 3.02

9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.33 MYR 1.37

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.66

$4.29 MYR 17.52

-49.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.53

$4.45 MYR 18.20

-35.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.88 MYR 7.69

3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-33.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$2.06 MYR 8.41

-10.19%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.63

$2.12 MYR 8.67

19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.70

$17.00 MYR 69.5

-55.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.40

$5.19 MYR 21.20

20.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.10

$14.91 MYR 61.0

-35.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$2.91 MYR 11.89

-60.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.45 MYR 5.92

13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$2.66 MYR 10.89

-29.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$2.10 MYR 8.60

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.20 MYR 4.91

-46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.10

$0.89 MYR 3.62

32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.48 MYR 1.96

45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.79

$4.19 MYR 17.13

-29.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.46

$19.28 MYR 78.8

-61.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.65 MYR 10.84

-41.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$3.40 MYR 13.89

-32.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.45 MYR 1.83

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

$17.76 MYR 72.6

-17.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.74 MYR 3.04

91.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.51 MYR 2.07

35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$6.90 MYR 28.21

5.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$0.50 MYR 2.03

118.00%

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

$18.3K ₾48.0K

$34.1K MYR 139.3K

-46.23%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$27.3K MYR 111.8K

-25.09%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$39.05 MYR 160

90.40%

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

$11.71 ₾30.65

$10.17 MYR 41.58

15.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.08

$31.51 MYR 129

-44.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$32.40 MYR 132

86.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.65

$5.53 MYR 22.61

194.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$4.81 MYR 19.64

35.34%

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

$269 ₾704

$240 MYR 979

12.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$6,182 MYR 25.3K

-16.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$55.3 MYR 226

39.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$29.23 MYR 119

48.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$61.1 MYR 250

93.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$52.7 MYR 215

114.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,857

$382 MYR 1,559

85.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,216

$225 MYR 921

106.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,444

$636 MYR 2,598

106.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$522 MYR 2,133

46.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,525

$2,203 MYR 9,004

13.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,775

$1,160 MYR 4,740

24.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$942 MYR 3,849

-29.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

4.16

185.82%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $382 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $22.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $286, 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 42% lower in Penang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $709 in Tbilisi versus $382 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,191 per month in Tbilisi versus $867 in Penang – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Penang versus $1,191 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang 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 Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.