Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Riga Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Riga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,593 in Riga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $2,433 in Riga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $3,273 in Riga.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 25% less than in Riga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 10% below, Riga is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$17.60 €15.41

-38.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$68.2 €59.8

-35.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$9.05 €7.93

-8.18%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$3.59 €3.14

-17.27%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$1.77 €1.55

-56.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$1.29 €1.13

-64.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$5.69 €4.99

-62.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$5.85 €5.12

-50.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.33 €1.16

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.68 €1.48

-57.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$2.89 €2.53

-33.91%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$3.16 €2.77

-21.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$12.37 €10.83

-37.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$7.59 €6.64

-18.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$11.89 €10.41

-19.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.73 €1.52

-32.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.86 €1.63

-11.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$2.59 €2.27

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$3.52 €3.09

-33.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$1.08 €0.95

-34.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.10 €0.97

-39.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$1.79 €1.57

-33.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.87 €0.76

-24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$5.65 €4.95

-48.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$8.03 €7.03

-4.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.81 €1.58

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$2.28 €1.99

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$1.79 €1.57

-78.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$34.85 €30.52

-57.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$2.96 €2.59

-49.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.81 €0.71

-16.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$13.80 €12.08

-47.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.81 €1.58

-39.78%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$30.4K €26.6K

-38.82%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$31.9K €28.0K

-35.93%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$323 €283

-77.37%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$20.16 €17.66

-40.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$20.43 €17.89

-11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$52.1 €45.59

17.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$30.25 €26.50

-45.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$11.44 €10.02

-41.43%

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

$269 ₾705

$543 €476

-50.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$15.8K €13.8K

-67.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$91.3 €80.0

-16.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$46.00 €40.29

-5.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$97.4 €85.3

23.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$135 €118

-17.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$597 €523

15.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$418 €366

12.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$1,064 €932

27.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$684 €599

15.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$3,167 €2,774

-22.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$2,094 €1,834

-30.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$1,545 €1,353

-57.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

4.63

156.80%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riga: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $597 in Riga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riga pays 134% 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: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $68.0 in Riga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $266 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

Tbilisi vs Riga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Riga differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,197 vs $1,593 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 134% lower in Riga. 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $597 in Riga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $543 in Riga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Riga. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,593 in Riga, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Riga. 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, Tbilisi and Riga 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 33% less than in Riga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.