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: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $846 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,313 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $1,779 in Penang.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 51% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Penang 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$3.73 MYR 15.18

206.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$20.03 MYR 81.5

90.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$4.83 MYR 19.66

94.62%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.94 MYR 11.95

14.97%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.71 MYR 2.90

46.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.39 MYR 1.60

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$4.50 MYR 18.32

-32.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.79 MYR 7.26

26.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-27.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-6.36%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$2.23 MYR 9.05

22.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$13.37 MYR 54.4

-30.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$4.37 MYR 17.78

55.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$9.00 MYR 36.60

44.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$2.87 MYR 11.67

-42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.70 MYR 6.90

7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$2.61 MYR 10.64

-27.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.46 MYR 5.94

76.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.13 MYR 4.58

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.17 MYR 4.77

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.11 MYR 4.51

22.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.58 MYR 2.35

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$4.54 MYR 18.45

-25.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$19.54 MYR 79.5

-60.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$2.91 MYR 11.85

-42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$3.98 MYR 16.20

-40.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.48 MYR 1.94

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$12.28 MYR 49.95

26.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-32.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.42 MYR 1.70

76.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$7.61 MYR 30.97

48.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.84 MYR 3.40

64.29%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

-40.92%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

-36.70%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$37.45 MYR 152

136.93%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$9.83 MYR 40.01

34.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$29.72 MYR 121

-33.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$38.51 MYR 157

77.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$4.81 MYR 19.57

272.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$5.31 MYR 21.59

20.90%

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

$372 ₾967

$435 MYR 1,769

-14.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$60.3 MYR 245

73.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$34.72 MYR 141

11.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$85.3 MYR 347

34.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$70.8 MYR 288

72.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$399 MYR 1,623

70.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$228 MYR 928

99.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$591 MYR 2,406

121.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$417 MYR 1,694

114.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$2,235 MYR 9,094

6.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,068 MYR 4,346

33.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$923 MYR 3,754

-30.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

4.24

197.64%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $399 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $20.00 in Penang. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $255, 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, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% 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: $681 in Tbilisi versus $399 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 $20.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $846 in Penang – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Penang versus $1,279 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 51% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.