Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Richmond, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $2,459 in Richmond, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Richmond, Canada
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Richmond
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,459
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Richmond

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Richmond actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $2,459 in Richmond.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Richmond $2,459

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tbilisi versus $3,502 in Richmond.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Richmond $3,502

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,763 in Tbilisi versus $4,545 in Richmond.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Richmond $4,545

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 48% less than in Richmond, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 7% below, Richmond is 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$16.21 CA$22.64
-28.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$71.6 CA$100
-47.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$9.08 CA$12.69
6.39%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$4.22 CA$5.89
-15.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$2.04 CA$2.85
-47.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$1.54 CA$2.15
-63.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$5.42 CA$7.57
-51.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$5.56 CA$7.77
-45.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$2.20 CA$3.07
-1.36%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$2.16 CA$3.01
-62.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$2.36 CA$3.29
-26.27%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$3.15 CA$4.40
-10.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$8.84 CA$12.35
5.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$10.81 CA$15.10
-39.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$9.74 CA$13.61
32.96%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$2.65 CA$3.70
-36.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.29 CA$1.81
43.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$2.63 CA$3.68
-25.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$3.63 CA$5.07
-33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$2.10 CA$2.93
-60.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$1.80 CA$2.51
-58.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$2.03 CA$2.84
-33.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$1.22 CA$1.70
-36.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$14.39 CA$20.10
-75.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$12.73 CA$17.79
-39.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$2.18 CA$3.05
-22.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$2.18 CA$3.05
10.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$2.17 CA$3.03
-81.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
$79.5 CA$111
-80.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$2.98 CA$4.16
-61.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$1.39 CA$1.95
-43.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.34 CA$1.87
8.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$26.7K CA$37.3K
-7.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$20.8K CA$29.1K
7.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$132 CA$184
-32.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$32.35 CA$45.19
-59.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$46.70 CA$65.3
-57.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$23.75 CA$33.18
169.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
$2.41 CA$3.37
690.04%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$12.46 CA$17.40
-42.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$800 CA$1,117
-53.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$10.7K CA$14.9K
-1.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$53.2 CA$74.3
94.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$32.29 CA$45.11
21.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$95.4 CA$133
23.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$118 CA$165
2.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$1,831 CA$2,558
-62.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$1,409 CA$1,968
-67.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$2,523 CA$3,524
-46.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$2,140 CA$2,989
-57.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$8,487 CA$11.9K
-72.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$6,437 CA$8,993
-79.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Richmond
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$3,072 CA$4,292
-78.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
4.77
164.57%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Richmond: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Richmond
$1.4K 212% $958
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Richmond
$298 27.5% $64
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Richmond
$260 36.4% $69
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Richmond
$135 21.7% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Richmond
$211 73.4% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Richmond
$49 37.9% $30
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Richmond
$98 348% $76

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Tbilisi and $1,831 in Richmond. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Richmond pays about 4.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Tbilisi vs $72 in Richmond for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $298 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇨🇦 Richmond
🕒 Local time
08:55 8:55 AM
21:55 9:55 PM
11 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
198,309
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Richmond 9,840 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Richmond

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Richmond?
Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Richmond. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Tbilisi or in Richmond?
On paper, salaries run 78% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tbilisi compared to Richmond?
Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Tbilisi versus $1,831 in Richmond. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Tbilisi compared to Richmond?
A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 81% less than in Richmond. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Tbilisi and in Richmond?
Childcare runs $375 in Tbilisi versus $800 in Richmond. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Tbilisi or in Richmond?
At $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $2,459 in Richmond, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Richmond. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Tbilisi or Richmond?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Richmond. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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