Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Tawau Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Tawau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Tbilisi vs $953 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,392 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,831 in Tawau, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 34% more than Tawau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Tawau are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Tawau 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$3.17 MYR 12.90

260.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$19.40 MYR 78.9

96.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$4.18 MYR 16.98

124.88%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$3.12 MYR 12.68

8.33%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.95 MYR 3.88

9.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.36 MYR 1.45

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$2.65 MYR 10.79

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$4.52 MYR 18.38

-32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.80 MYR 7.33

26.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$1.02 MYR 4.14

-22.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.46 MYR 5.95

10.96%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.91 MYR 7.77

43.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$13.32 MYR 54.2

-30.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$4.52 MYR 18.40

50.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$9.59 MYR 39.03

35.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$3.11 MYR 12.65

-47.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.63 MYR 6.64

12.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$2.46 MYR 10.03

-22.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.71 MYR 6.95

50.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.15 MYR 4.68

-26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.22 MYR 4.96

-46.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.26 MYR 5.12

7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.56 MYR 2.29

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$4.46 MYR 18.16

-23.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$18.80 MYR 76.5

-59.20%

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

$3.35 MYR 13.61

-28.96%

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

$11.38 MYR 46.30

36.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$1.25 MYR 5.10

-8.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.48 MYR 1.95

54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$8.39 MYR 34.12

34.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.72 MYR 2.94

91.67%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$42.3K MYR 172.3K

-41.96%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$34.7K MYR 141.0K

-36.55%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$49.61 MYR 202

78.86%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$10.63 MYR 43.23

23.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$28.77 MYR 117

-31.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$42.98 MYR 175

58.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$7.53 MYR 30.62

138.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$3.70 MYR 15.05

73.51%

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

$372 ₾967

$178 MYR 723

109.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$4,269 MYR 17.4K

153.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$57.1 MYR 232

83.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$40.35 MYR 164

-3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$94.2 MYR 383

21.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$67.1 MYR 273

82.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$476 MYR 1,937

42.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$347 MYR 1,413

31.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$753 MYR 3,063

74.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$558 MYR 2,271

59.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$2,147 MYR 8,733

11.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,253 MYR 5,099

13.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$413 MYR 1,678

55.04%

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 Tawau: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Tbilisi versus $476 in Tawau. 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 55% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $19.00 in Tawau. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Tbilisi vs $253 in Tawau – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 34% more than Tawau, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,919 per month in Tbilisi and $1,430 in Tawau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tawau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi and $19.00 in Tawau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tawau, where all-in costs run around $953, than in Tbilisi at $1,279. In Tawau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tawau costs $953 versus $1,279 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Tawau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.