Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 44% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 30% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$10.80 ₾28.69

-23.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$43.18 ₾115

22.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$8.29 ₾22.02

-2.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.00 ₾7.96

36.33%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.82 ₾2.17

-13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.46 ₾1.21

-36.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.74

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.93 ₾5.11

-12.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.68 ₾1.81

88.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.88 ₾4.99

25.00%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.54 ₾6.73

7.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$7.42 ₾19.69

16.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$6.19 ₾16.43

61.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$9.36 ₾24.86

55.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$1.22 ₾3.25

92.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.66 ₾4.40

5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.80 ₾4.78

2.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$2.24 ₾5.95

-31.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$0.71 ₾1.89

81.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$0.67 ₾1.79

119.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.18 ₾3.13

22.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.66 ₾1.76

-19.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$2.98 ₾7.91

153.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.20

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.36 ₾0.95

202.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$14.44 ₾38.35

154.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$1.49 ₾3.96

120.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$0.68 ₾1.82

172.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$7.23 ₾19.19

86.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$1.14 ₾3.04

-44.74%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

84.83%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$20.0K ₾53.0K

17.29%

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

$104 SAR 391

$73.7 ₾196

41.40%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$11.64 ₾30.90

194.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$17.84 ₾47.38

331.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$60.1 ₾160

74.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$16.80 ₾44.62

246.96%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$6.60 ₾17.54

145.00%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$266 ₾707

71.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

87.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$77.7 ₾206

-23.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$44.75 ₾119

43.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$117 ₾310

-8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$113 ₾300

-11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$693 ₾1,839

54.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$462 ₾1,226

82.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$1,320 ₾3,504

53.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,093

$774 ₾2,056

40.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,430 ₾6,454

26.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,247

$1,446 ₾3,839

33.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,453

$673 ₾1,786

234.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

11.89

-55.34%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 235% 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: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $203 per month, with Tbilisi 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

Riyadh vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Tbilisi differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,739 vs $1,209 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riyadh pays 235% more on average, 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: $1,072 in Riyadh versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,739 per month in Riyadh versus $1,209 in Tbilisi – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 154% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,739 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi 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, Riyadh 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.