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: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $684 in Rivas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $1,082 in Rivas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,480 in Rivas.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 78% more expensive than Rivas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Rivas 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$3.91 NIO 143

177.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$28.30 NIO 1,037

56.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$7.16 NIO 262

15.64%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.28 NIO 46.97

135.94%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.86 NIO 31.41

-11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.69 NIO 25.22

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.35 NIO 49.38

65.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$1.95 NIO 71.4

53.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.22 NIO 44.66

58.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$2.46 NIO 89.9

-70.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.79 NIO 65.6

2.79%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.25 NIO 82.2

8.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$11.02 NIO 404

-32.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$6.58 NIO 241

-1.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$7.89 NIO 289

22.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$3.92 NIO 144

-69.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$0.84 NIO 30.78

85.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.75 NIO 64.0

2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$2.21 NIO 80.8

0.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$3.85 NIO 141

-83.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$2.22 NIO 81.4

-69.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.03 NIO 37.69

15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$1.01 NIO 36.89

-30.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$2.64 NIO 96.6

11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$14.86 NIO 544

-50.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.41 NIO 51.6

7.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.16 NIO 79.0

4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$1.54 NIO 56.3

-2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$6.76 NIO 248

10.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.34 NIO 49.25

-14.93%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$23.0K NIO 842.3K

-19.51%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$26.2K NIO 957.9K

-22.56%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$96.8 NIO 3,543

-23.64%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$17.04 NIO 624

-31.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$37.88 NIO 1,387

-52.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$8.19 NIO 300

-19.29%

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

$264 ₾700

$125 NIO 4,594

110.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$5,921 NIO 216.9K

-13.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$76.8 NIO 2,811

-2.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$72.1 NIO 2,639

-38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$134 NIO 4,890

-11.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$109 NIO 4,001

4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$497 NIO 18.2K

29.86%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Rivas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Tbilisi pays 30% 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 $28.00 in Rivas. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $258, 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 78% 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 30% 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 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Tbilisi versus $684 in Rivas – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $684 in Rivas versus $1,218 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 $684 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 78% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.