Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Tbilisi versus $980 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Tbilisi versus $1,489 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Tbilisi versus $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 20% more expensive than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Rio de Janeiro 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₾29.35

$7.00 R$35.62

58.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$36.60 R$186

18.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.63

$6.48 R$32.95

31.94%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$1.99 R$10.12

49.25%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$1.28 R$6.51

-40.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.90 R$4.57

-48.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.88

$1.76 R$8.97

26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$2.66 R$13.52

9.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$1.16 R$5.88

69.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$1.70 R$8.65

-57.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$1.41 R$7.19

29.08%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$1.97 R$10.01

26.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.27

$7.84 R$39.91

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.59

$3.69 R$18.76

69.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.14

$7.92 R$40.28

19.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$2.31 R$11.77

-46.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.33

$1.62 R$8.24

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$1.51 R$7.69

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.02

$1.57 R$8.01

44.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$1.24 R$6.29

-45.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.12 R$5.69

-40.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$0.68 R$3.44

79.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.61 R$3.11

14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$1.93 R$9.82

51.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.42

$8.81 R$44.84

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$1.27 R$6.46

22.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$2.12 R$10.78

4.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$1.24 R$6.31

-68.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.81

$39.30 R$200

-62.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$1.07 R$5.44

34.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.70 R$3.57

-1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.52

$7.81 R$39.73

-5.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$1.06 R$5.42

7.55%

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

$18.2K ₾48.1K

$20.8K R$106.0K

-12.80%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$27.7K R$141.0K

-26.23%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$105 R$533

-29.69%

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

$11.64 ₾30.80

$11.85 R$60.3

-1.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.65

$18.61 R$94.7

-5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

$26.06 R$133

135.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.59

$24.16 R$123

-30.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.71

$6.55 R$33.31

2.14%

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

$264 ₾699

$554 R$2,816

-52.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$11.7K R$59.6K

-55.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$45.85 R$233

63.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$41.26 R$210

4.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$77.0 R$392

52.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$62.3 R$317

79.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,868

$440 R$2,237

60.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,221

$336 R$1,711

37.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,488

$855 R$4,348

54.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,066

$573 R$2,917

36.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,517

$3,445 R$17.5K

-28.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,727

$1,469 R$7,474

-4.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,779

$551 R$2,805

21.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.33

4.94%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $706 in Tbilisi and $440 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 22% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $37.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $187 per month, with Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,178 vs $980 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tbilisi pays 22% more on average, 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: $706 in Tbilisi versus $440 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,178 per month in Tbilisi versus $980 in Rio de Janeiro – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $980 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,178 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.