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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Tbilisi vs $865 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,320 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,776 in Tawau, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 41% more than Tawau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Tawau are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Tawau 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$3.63 MYR 14.72

198.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$18.66 MYR 75.7

136.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$4.06 MYR 16.46

103.94%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.23 MYR 9.03

35.43%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.77 MYR 3.13

-1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.40 MYR 1.62

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$2.29 MYR 9.29

-2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$3.39 MYR 13.75

-11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.60 MYR 6.49

20.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$1.31 MYR 5.30

-45.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.68 MYR 6.83

9.52%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.04 MYR 8.29

20.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$14.84 MYR 60.2

-49.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$4.26 MYR 17.27

52.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$9.70 MYR 39.33

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$2.99 MYR 12.13

-59.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.48 MYR 5.99

5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$2.62 MYR 10.62

-31.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.39 MYR 5.64

60.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.24 MYR 5.05

-47.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.26 MYR 5.12

-46.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.00 MYR 4.07

19.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.55 MYR 2.23

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$4.20 MYR 17.02

-29.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$19.12 MYR 77.5

-61.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$2.75 MYR 11.17

-44.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-22.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.68 MYR 2.76

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$11.97 MYR 48.52

21.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$1.16 MYR 4.70

29.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$1.04 MYR 4.21

-29.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$6.04 MYR 24.50

23.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$0.49 MYR 1.99

132.65%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

-48.50%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

-35.37%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$43.00 MYR 174

71.81%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$8.93 MYR 36.21

31.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$29.39 MYR 119

-38.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$36.21 MYR 147

70.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$5.73 MYR 23.25

190.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$2.90 MYR 11.74

127.93%

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

$264 ₾700

$187 MYR 757

41.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

-26.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$59.7 MYR 242

25.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$27.46 MYR 111

60.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$73.5 MYR 298

59.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$50.5 MYR 205

125.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$391 MYR 1,584

77.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$268 MYR 1,087

69.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$643 MYR 2,609

105.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$468 MYR 1,897

68.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$2,168 MYR 8,790

12.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$985 MYR 3,993

46.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$421 MYR 1,708

53.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

4.07

192.14%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Tawau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Tbilisi versus $391 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 53% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $19.00 in Tawau. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Tbilisi vs $255 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 41% 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 $1,827 per month in Tbilisi and $1,298 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 25% 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 $44.00 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 $865, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. 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 $865 versus $1,218 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.