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: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 47% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$10.82 ₾28.38

-24.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$43.85 ₾115

22.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$8.31 ₾21.79

-4.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$2.97 ₾7.78

34.01%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.77 ₾2.01

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.46 ₾1.20

-32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.90 ₾4.99

-11.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.71 ₾1.86

87.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$1.91 ₾5.00

23.56%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.48 ₾6.52

8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$7.74 ₾20.29

9.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$6.18 ₾16.20

60.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$9.57 ₾25.11

51.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$1.17 ₾3.06

98.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.65 ₾4.34

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.85 ₾4.84

1.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.33 ₾6.11

-31.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$0.71 ₾1.85

76.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$0.67 ₾1.76

117.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.19 ₾3.12

20.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.66 ₾1.72

-21.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$2.92 ₾7.65

153.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.38 ₾1.01

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$14.76 ₾38.71

149.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$1.50 ₾3.92

114.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$0.68 ₾1.77

170.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$7.26 ₾19.03

81.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.09 ₾2.87

-41.28%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

88.55%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

14.55%

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

$106 SAR 398

$73.0 ₾191

45.03%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$11.97 ₾31.40

193.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$18.00 ₾47.21

327.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$61.0 ₾160

74.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$16.52 ₾43.33

262.65%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$6.70 ₾17.58

142.09%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$269 ₾705

73.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

85.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$76.5 ₾201

-23.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$43.41 ₾114

49.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$120 ₾316

-8.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$111 ₾290

-9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$687 ₾1,802

61.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$470 ₾1,234

79.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$1,353 ₾3,549

49.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$789 ₾2,069

42.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,468 ₾6,472

17.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,456 ₾3,817

33.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$659 ₾1,729

206.55%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 207% 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: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $205 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 47% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $1,197 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 207% higher in Riyadh, 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: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,758 per month in Riyadh versus $1,197 in Tbilisi – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 150% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,758 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 47% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.