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: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $849 in Rivas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,592 in Rivas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $2,335 in Rivas.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 47% more expensive than in Rivas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Rivas 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$3.92 NIO 144

189.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$27.56 NIO 1,010

40.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$7.48 NIO 274

27.27%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$1.27 NIO 46.63

168.50%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.88 NIO 32.31

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.68 NIO 24.74

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$1.42 NIO 51.9

83.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$1.97 NIO 72.0

64.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.28 NIO 47.02

69.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$2.37 NIO 86.8

-68.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.80 NIO 65.9

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$2.33 NIO 85.2

21.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.94

$11.36 NIO 416

-18.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$6.45 NIO 236

4.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.16

$7.26 NIO 266

75.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$3.64 NIO 133

-54.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.62 NIO 22.70

185.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.77 NIO 64.9

5.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$2.29 NIO 84.0

6.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$3.98 NIO 146

-78.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$2.19 NIO 80.2

-70.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.63

$0.99 NIO 36.43

41.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.07 NIO 39.36

-30.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$2.61 NIO 95.6

30.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$14.79 NIO 542

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.42 NIO 52.0

19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.19

$2.33 NIO 85.3

2.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.59

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$1.68 NIO 61.4

-29.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.60 NIO 58.7

-52.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$6.90 NIO 253

64.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.37 NIO 50.1

-2.92%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$23.3K NIO 852.9K

6.17%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$26.4K NIO 966.8K

-16.56%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$119 NIO 4,341

-25.03%

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

$13.33 ₾34.62

$17.31 NIO 634

-22.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$36.89 NIO 1,351

-45.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$20.34 NIO 745

237.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾46.99

$6.87 NIO 252

163.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$8.67 NIO 317

-22.49%

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

$374 ₾970

$235 NIO 8,614

58.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$6,005 NIO 219.9K

78.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$69.8 NIO 2,557

44.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$73.7 NIO 2,699

-46.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$133 NIO 4,853

-11.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$107 NIO 3,935

13.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,772

$149 NIO 5,447

358.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$127 NIO 4,659

258.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

$756 NIO 27.7K

72.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,336

$809 NIO 29.6K

11.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,694

$493 NIO 18.1K

32.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

10.25

23.12%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Rivas: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $149 in Rivas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 32% 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: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $28.00 in Rivas. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $256, 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 47% 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.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $149 in Rivas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Tbilisi versus $849 in Rivas – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $849 in Rivas versus $1,247 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 $849 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 47% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.