Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Setia Alam

For one person, living is cheaper in Setia Alam: $904 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Setia Alam
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Setia Alam Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Setia Alam

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$904

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Setia Alam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Setia Alam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $904 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,269
Setia Alam $904

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,353 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,016
Setia Alam $1,353

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,801 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,763
Setia Alam $1,801

Tbilisi costs about 40% more than Setia Alam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tbilisi and Setia Alam are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Setia Alam 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

$4.75 MYR 19.37

144.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

$24.61 MYR 100

53.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

$4.98 MYR 20.29

93.98%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

$2.79 MYR 11.37

27.96%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$0.77 MYR 3.12

40.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$0.45 MYR 1.85

24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

$4.40 MYR 17.92

-40.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

$6.03 MYR 24.58

-49.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

$1.48 MYR 6.05

46.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$0.72 MYR 2.92

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$0.59 MYR 2.41

194.92%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

$1.15 MYR 4.69

146.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

$13.91 MYR 56.7

-33.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

$2.51 MYR 10.23

159.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

$2.51 MYR 10.23

415.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.34

$1.19 MYR 4.85

41.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.85 MYR 7.55

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

$1.24 MYR 5.07

58.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

$1.21 MYR 4.91

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

$0.69 MYR 2.83

18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$0.70 MYR 2.85

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$0.70 MYR 2.86

91.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

$0.72 MYR 2.92

6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

$4.18 MYR 17.02

-14.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

$19.78 MYR 80.6

-61.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$3.49 MYR 14.23

-51.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$4.99 MYR 20.33

-51.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$0.75 MYR 3.05

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

$12.39 MYR 50.5

22.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$1.21 MYR 4.92

-5.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$1.21 MYR 4.93

-35.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

$4.77 MYR 19.42

148.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$0.49 MYR 1.99

195.92%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$39.5K MYR 160.8K

-37.71%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$33.4K MYR 135.9K

-33.03%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$61.0 MYR 249

45.57%

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

$8.67 MYR 35.31

51.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$25.85 MYR 105

-23.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$51.1 MYR 208

25.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

$6.74 MYR 27.47

182.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

$5.00 MYR 20.36

42.40%

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

$375 ₾971

$235 MYR 956

60.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$7,890 MYR 32.1K

32.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$72.5 MYR 295

42.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$26.70 MYR 109

47.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$53.5 MYR 218

119.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$36.15 MYR 147

236.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$522 MYR 2,127

33.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$313 MYR 1,276

44.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$843 MYR 3,435

60.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$544 MYR 2,218

66.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

$2,033 MYR 8,284

12.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

$1,188 MYR 4,841

13.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

$1,152 MYR 4,693

-42.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

215.50%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Setia Alam

$313 34.7% 30.6% $138

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Setia Alam

$201 22.2% 14.2% $33

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Setia Alam

$125 13.9% 34.2% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Setia Alam

$85 9.4% 50.6% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Setia Alam

$96 10.6% 21.4% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Setia Alam

$61 6.8% 21.9% $17

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Setia Alam

$23 2.5% 3.4% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $522 in Setia Alam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 73% higher in Setia Alam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $25 in Setia Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $201 – making Setia Alam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇲🇾 Setia Alam

🕒 Local time

22:48 10:48 PM

02:48 2:48 AM

4 h ahead of Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

150,000

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Setia Alam 7,060 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Setia Alam

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 40% more than Setia Alam, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $1,355 in Setia Alam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setia Alam, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $522 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Setia Alam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $375 per month in Tbilisi and $235 in Setia Alam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,269 in Tbilisi and $904 in Setia Alam. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Setia Alam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

For expats, Setia Alam is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 40% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.