Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sibu

For one person, living is cheaper in Sibu: $905 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
42

Cost of Living Index in Sibu
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Sibu Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Sibu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$905

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Sibu

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 Sibu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $905 in Sibu.

Tbilisi $1,269
Sibu $905

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tbilisi versus $1,406 in Sibu.

Tbilisi $2,016
Sibu $1,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,763 in Tbilisi versus $1,906 in Sibu.

Tbilisi $2,763
Sibu $1,906

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 40% more expensive than in Sibu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Sibu 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

$2.26 MYR 9.14

414.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

$19.22 MYR 77.9

96.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

$4.23 MYR 17.14

128.37%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

$2.30 MYR 9.31

55.22%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$0.61 MYR 2.48

77.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$0.23 MYR 0.93

143.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

$2.86 MYR 11.60

-8.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

$4.46 MYR 18.08

-31.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

$1.76 MYR 7.14

23.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$0.87 MYR 3.54

-8.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$1.33 MYR 5.37

30.83%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

$2.18 MYR 8.82

29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

$13.35 MYR 54.1

-30.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

$4.90 MYR 19.88

33.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

$9.92 MYR 40.23

30.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.33

$2.86 MYR 11.60

-41.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.81 MYR 7.35

2.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

$2.36 MYR 9.58

-16.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

$1.69 MYR 6.86

43.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

$1.38 MYR 5.59

-40.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$1.33 MYR 5.40

-44.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$1.06 MYR 4.28

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

$0.56 MYR 2.28

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

$4.48 MYR 18.18

-20.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

$19.27 MYR 78.1

-60.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$3.02 MYR 12.23

-43.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$4.61 MYR 18.71

-47.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$0.79 MYR 3.21

-49.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

$11.49 MYR 46.59

32.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$1.04 MYR 4.24

9.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$0.61 MYR 2.48

27.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

$7.27 MYR 29.47

62.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$0.87 MYR 3.51

66.67%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$45.5K MYR 184.6K

-46.01%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$36.2K MYR 146.6K

-38.21%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$48.91 MYR 198

81.56%

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

$7.37 MYR 29.86

78.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$26.21 MYR 106

-24.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$27.13 MYR 110

136.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

$6.38 MYR 25.88

198.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

$3.72 MYR 15.10

91.40%

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

$375 ₾971

$243 MYR 984

54.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$6,876 MYR 27.9K

52.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$56.1 MYR 228

84.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$36.43 MYR 148

7.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$69.2 MYR 281

69.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$78.2 MYR 317

55.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$390 MYR 1,579

78.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$318 MYR 1,288

42.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$698 MYR 2,828

94.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$630 MYR 2,552

43.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

$2,136 MYR 8,660

7.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

$1,165 MYR 4,723

15.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

$487 MYR 1,974

36.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

4.06

210.84%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Sibu: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Sibu

$318 35.1% 29.6% $133

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Sibu

$258 28.6% 10.5% $24

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Sibu

$85 9.4% 55.5% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Sibu

$108 11.9% 37.2% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Sibu

$82 9.1% 32.2% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Sibu

$35 3.8% 55.8% $44

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Sibu

$19 2.1% 14.3% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Tbilisi and $390 in Sibu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38 in Tbilisi vs $19 in Sibu. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $258, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇲🇾 Sibu

🕒 Local time

11:31 11:31 AM

15:31 3:31 PM

4 h ahead of Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

198,239

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.05 MYR (1 MYR = 0.247 USD). 1 EUR = 4.52 MYR (1 MYR = 0.221 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

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Between locations

Tbilisi Sibu 7,950 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Sibu

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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibu wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Sibu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Tbilisi versus $390 in Sibu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,269 per month in Tbilisi versus $905 in Sibu – Sibu is about 29% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Sibu runs roughly 25% less than in Tbilisi. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Sibu is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Sibu are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Sibu wins on affordability, Tbilisi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.