Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $970 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,438 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $1,907 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 32% more expensive than in Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Sandakan, Sabah 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$3.79 MYR 15.42

201.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$20.12 MYR 81.8

89.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$4.90 MYR 19.91

91.84%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.99 MYR 12.18

13.04%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.80 MYR 3.25

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.42 MYR 1.73

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$3.69 MYR 15.00

-26.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$4.47 MYR 18.18

-31.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.86 MYR 7.56

22.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$1.05 MYR 4.27

-24.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.52 MYR 6.18

6.58%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.89 MYR 7.68

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$13.56 MYR 55.2

-31.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$4.33 MYR 17.61

56.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$9.96 MYR 40.53

30.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$3.27 MYR 13.28

-49.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.77 MYR 7.20

3.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$2.43 MYR 9.88

-21.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.62 MYR 6.59

58.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.33 MYR 5.41

-36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.19 MYR 4.86

-45.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.20 MYR 4.90

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.57 MYR 2.33

40.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$4.51 MYR 18.36

-24.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$19.18 MYR 78.0

-60.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$3.03 MYR 12.31

-44.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$3.74 MYR 15.22

-36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.77 MYR 3.13

-49.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$12.63 MYR 51.4

23.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.48 MYR 1.94

54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$7.47 MYR 30.37

51.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.73 MYR 2.97

89.04%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

-42.87%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

-37.29%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$49.67 MYR 202

78.64%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$9.87 MYR 40.13

33.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$28.51 MYR 116

-30.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$41.59 MYR 169

64.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$6.59 MYR 26.80

172.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$4.92 MYR 20.00

30.49%

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

$372 ₾967

$176 MYR 715

111.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

115.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$61.3 MYR 250

70.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$34.64 MYR 141

12.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$80.9 MYR 329

41.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$69.9 MYR 284

75.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$423 MYR 1,720

60.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$336 MYR 1,366

35.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$709 MYR 2,886

84.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$497 MYR 2,023

79.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$2,034 MYR 8,274

17.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,142 MYR 4,644

24.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$1,246 MYR 5,068

-48.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

4.2

200.48%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $423 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 95% 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 Sandakan, Sabah. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $259, 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 Sandakan, Sabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Sandakan, Sabah differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,279 vs $970 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Sandakan, Sabah. 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 $423 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sandakan, Sabah runs roughly 23% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $372 in Tbilisi versus $176 in Sandakan, Sabah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $970 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah 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 Sandakan, Sabah 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 Sandakan, Sabah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.