Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 21% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.57

$10.82 ₾28.39

-32.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$181

$43.85 ₾115

-19.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.12

$8.31 ₾21.80

-24.43%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.72

$2.97 ₾7.78

-36.03%

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

$1.29 R$6.57

$0.77 ₾2.01

67.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.66

$0.46 ₾1.20

97.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.95

$2.14 ₾5.63

-18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.98

$2.87 ₾7.52

-4.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.77

$1.90 ₾4.99

-40.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.73

$0.71 ₾1.86

140.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.29

$1.91 ₾5.00

-25.13%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.42

$2.48 ₾6.52

-17.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.58

$7.74 ₾20.29

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.82

$6.18 ₾16.21

-43.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.93

$9.57 ₾25.12

-16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.76

$1.17 ₾3.06

96.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.04

$1.65 ₾4.34

-4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.73

$1.85 ₾4.84

-18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.90

$2.33 ₾6.11

-33.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.36

$0.71 ₾1.85

74.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.70

$0.67 ₾1.76

67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.27

$1.19 ₾3.12

-46.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.91

$0.66 ₾1.72

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.21

$2.92 ₾7.65

-31.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.48

$7.69 ₾20.18

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.59 ₾4.18

-20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.47

$2.31 ₾6.06

-11.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.58

$0.38 ₾1.01

239.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$202

$14.76 ₾38.72

167.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.46

$1.50 ₾3.92

-28.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.39

$0.68 ₾1.77

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.78

$7.26 ₾19.04

1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.66

$1.09 ₾2.87

1.83%

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

$20.7K R$105.7K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

11.16%

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

$27.5K R$140.6K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

34.44%

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

$103 R$526

$73.0 ₾192

41.04%

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

$11.99 R$61.3

$11.97 ₾31.41

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.6

$18.00 ₾47.22

2.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$61.0 ₾160

-57.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$125

$16.52 ₾43.34

47.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.40

$6.70 ₾17.58

-5.37%

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

$554 R$2,830

$269 ₾705

106.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.2K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

128.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$231

$76.5 ₾201

-40.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$213

$43.41 ₾114

-3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$391

$120 ₾316

-36.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$317

$111 ₾290

-43.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,269

$687 ₾1,803

-35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,664

$470 ₾1,234

-30.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,328

$1,353 ₾3,550

-37.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,952

$789 ₾2,069

-26.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.7K

$2,468 ₾6,473

48.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,538

$1,456 ₾3,818

1.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,035

$659 ₾1,729

-9.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.89

-4.71%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Rio de Janeiro and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 11% 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: $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $205 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

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

Rio de Janeiro vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Tbilisi differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($945 vs $1,197 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Tbilisi. 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: $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $945 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,197 in Tbilisi – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,197 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro 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, Rio de Janeiro and Tbilisi 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 Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.