Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,128 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,716 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,304 in Ar-rass.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 13% more expensive than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Ar-rass 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$6.64 SAR 24.94

72.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$37.19 SAR 140

2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$7.85 SAR 29.49

19.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.65

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$3.38 SAR 12.70

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.88 SAR 3.29

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.24 SAR 0.90

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.90 SAR 7.13

19.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.38 SAR 1.44

107.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-13.83%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$3.61 SAR 13.56

-24.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$7.96 SAR 29.89

16.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$7.96 SAR 29.90

-14.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$12.72 SAR 47.76

2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$2.16 SAR 8.12

-24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.78 SAR 6.69

2.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$1.63 SAR 6.12

16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.68 SAR 6.32

52.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.18 SAR 4.43

-28.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.38 SAR 5.19

-52.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.15 SAR 4.30

18.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.59 SAR 2.22

35.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.11 SAR 11.68

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$7.60 SAR 28.54

-55.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$36.46 SAR 137

-57.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$2.91 SAR 10.92

-60.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.56 SAR 5.85

-52.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$11.39 SAR 42.79

-0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.63 SAR 2.37

119.05%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$46.7K SAR 175.2K

-47.32%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$21.6K SAR 81.1K

1.83%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$111 SAR 418

-20.28%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$24.15 SAR 90.7

-45.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$60.9 SAR 229

-67.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$44.34 SAR 167

53.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$36.32 SAR 136

-50.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$13.39 SAR 50.3

-52.05%

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

$372 ₾967

$347 SAR 1,303

7.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$7,201 SAR 27.0K

50.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$50.2 SAR 189

108.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$53.7 SAR 202

-27.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$95.8 SAR 360

19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$95.0 SAR 357

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$571 SAR 2,146

19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$378 SAR 1,421

20.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$383 SAR 1,438

242.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$494 SAR 1,856

80.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$2,344 SAR 8,804

1.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,340 SAR 5,031

6.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$1,729 SAR 6,494

-63.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

5.47

130.71%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $571 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 170% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $37.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $201 per month, with Ar-rass 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

Tbilisi vs Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Ar-rass differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,279 vs $1,128 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 170% lower in Ar-rass. 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: $681 in Tbilisi versus $571 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $372 in Tbilisi versus $347 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,128 in Ar-rass versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass 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, Tbilisi and Ar-rass 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 Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.