Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $975 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,477 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $1,980 in Mecca.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 31% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Mecca 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$4.57 SAR 17.15

150.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$27.05 SAR 102

41.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$6.94 SAR 26.05

35.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.61 SAR 9.82

29.50%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.71 SAR 2.67

46.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.23 SAR 0.86

160.87%

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

$1.67 SAR 6.26

35.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.95 SAR 3.58

-16.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$2.12 SAR 7.95

-23.58%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$2.35 SAR 8.81

16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$6.26 SAR 23.51

48.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$8.05 SAR 30.22

-15.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$12.83 SAR 48.18

1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$2.01 SAR 7.55

-18.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.63 SAR 6.10

12.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$1.58 SAR 5.93

20.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.68 SAR 6.32

52.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.11 SAR 4.17

-24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.36 SAR 5.10

-52.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.04 SAR 3.91

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.54 SAR 2.04

48.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$6.56 SAR 24.65

-48.17%

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

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-71.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-39.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-56.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$13.35 SAR 50.2

-15.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.59 SAR 2.22

133.90%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$48.7K SAR 183.0K

-49.56%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$20.8K SAR 78.0K

5.97%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$74.9 SAR 281

18.45%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$35.05 SAR 132

-62.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$67.7 SAR 254

-70.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$77.3 SAR 290

-11.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$33.94 SAR 127

-47.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$12.02 SAR 45.15

-46.59%

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

$372 ₾967

$397 SAR 1,491

-6.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$4,573 SAR 17.2K

136.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$22.73 SAR 85.4

359.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$60.8 SAR 228

-36.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$49.95 SAR 188

129.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$51.3 SAR 193

138.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$588 SAR 2,209

15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$318 SAR 1,194

43.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$1,496 SAR 5,617

-12.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$507 SAR 1,905

75.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$6,343 SAR 23.8K

-62.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$2,285 SAR 8,583

-37.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$1,097 SAR 4,121

-41.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

5.25

140.38%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mecca: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $588 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 72% 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 $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $193 per month, with Mecca 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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Mecca. 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 $588 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $975 in Mecca – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $975 in Mecca versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.