Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rivas Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rivas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $680 in Rivas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,087 in Rivas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,495 in Rivas.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 74% more expensive than Rivas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Rivas 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$4.12 NIO 151

170.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$28.15 NIO 1,035

53.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$7.02 NIO 258

17.09%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.22 NIO 44.73

156.56%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.79 NIO 29.13

-6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.74 NIO 27.04

-39.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.33 NIO 49.01

60.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$1.99 NIO 73.1

50.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.21 NIO 44.59

56.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$2.38 NIO 87.4

-69.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.85 NIO 68.1

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.27 NIO 83.3

7.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$11.42 NIO 420

-31.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$6.64 NIO 244

-5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$8.22 NIO 302

18.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$3.87 NIO 142

-68.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$0.85 NIO 31.06

87.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.84 NIO 67.6

-2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$2.28 NIO 83.8

1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$4.05 NIO 149

-82.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$2.18 NIO 80.2

-69.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.02 NIO 37.57

15.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$1.01 NIO 37.17

-29.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$2.68 NIO 98.4

8.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$14.50 NIO 533

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.42 NIO 52.0

9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.28 NIO 84.0

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.53 NIO 56.3

-3.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$6.71 NIO 247

11.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.36 NIO 49.92

-15.44%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$23.2K NIO 852.9K

-22.39%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$26.5K NIO 975.7K

-25.27%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$97.0 NIO 3,566

-24.29%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$16.99 NIO 625

-31.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$37.86 NIO 1,392

-53.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$8.09 NIO 298

-19.53%

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

$263 ₾707

$123 NIO 4,531

113.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$6,038 NIO 222.0K

-14.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$78.4 NIO 2,881

-0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$73.6 NIO 2,705

-39.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$132 NIO 4,866

-11.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$108 NIO 3,987

5.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$494 NIO 18.1K

28.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

10.25

16.00%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Rivas: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Tbilisi pays 28% 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 $28.00 in Rivas. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $261, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Rivas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rivas wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rivas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tbilisi pays 28% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $680 in Rivas – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $680 in Rivas versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rivas but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Rivas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rivas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $680 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rivas hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Rivas 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 Rivas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.