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: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $838 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,292 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,747 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 42% more expensive than in Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Sandakan, Sabah 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.57

$2.40 MYR 9.82

354.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$18.83 MYR 77.0

129.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.32

$4.63 MYR 18.91

84.23%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.82

$2.59 MYR 10.57

15.44%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.68 MYR 2.78

19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.23 MYR 0.94

82.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.66

$2.40 MYR 9.80

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.53

$3.45 MYR 14.10

-16.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.66 MYR 6.79

16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-43.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.14 MYR 4.68

62.28%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.63

$2.76 MYR 11.26

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.70

$15.33 MYR 62.6

-50.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.40

$3.43 MYR 14.01

82.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.10

$7.16 MYR 29.24

33.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$2.56 MYR 10.46

-54.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.18 MYR 4.83

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$3.23 MYR 13.21

-41.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.98 MYR 8.09

12.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.19 MYR 4.86

-41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.34 MYR 5.46

-52.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.10

$1.12 MYR 4.57

5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.47 MYR 1.92

48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.79

$4.16 MYR 17.02

-28.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.46

$17.39 MYR 71.1

-57.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.91 MYR 7.82

-19.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.68 MYR 6.86

35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

$12.00 MYR 49.04

22.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.15 MYR 4.71

23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$1.03 MYR 4.23

-33.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$6.04 MYR 24.69

20.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$0.50 MYR 2.05

118.00%

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

$18.3K ₾48.0K

$29.9K MYR 122.1K

-38.69%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$28.1K MYR 114.7K

-27.03%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$46.63 MYR 191

59.45%

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

$11.71 ₾30.65

$3.50 MYR 14.29

234.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.08

$23.79 MYR 97.2

-26.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$36.28 MYR 148

66.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.65

$6.00 MYR 24.53

171.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$2.87 MYR 11.75

126.83%

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

$269 ₾704

$94.8 MYR 388

183.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$4,390 MYR 17.9K

17.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$59.3 MYR 242

30.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$22.95 MYR 93.8

89.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$71.8 MYR 293

64.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$95.8 MYR 392

17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,857

$391 MYR 1,598

81.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,216

$267 MYR 1,092

73.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,444

$652 MYR 2,664

101.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$479 MYR 1,958

60.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,525

$1,998 MYR 8,166

24.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,775

$995 MYR 4,065

44.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$1,215 MYR 4,965

-45.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

296.33%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $391 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 83% 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 $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $236, 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 42% in total monthly costs ($1,191 vs $838 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 83% 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: $709 in Tbilisi versus $391 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 $269 in Tbilisi versus $94.8 in Sandakan, Sabah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $838 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,191 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 42% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.