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: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $678 in Rivas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,095 in Rivas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,512 in Rivas.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 76% more expensive than in Rivas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Rivas 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.57

$4.04 NIO 148

170.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$28.43 NIO 1,041

51.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.32

$6.86 NIO 251

24.34%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.82

$1.27 NIO 46.69

135.43%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.80 NIO 29.33

1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.70 NIO 25.75

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.66

$1.33 NIO 48.89

62.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.53

$1.97 NIO 72.2

46.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.27 NIO 46.66

52.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$2.47 NIO 90.6

-72.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.81 NIO 66.5

2.21%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.63

$2.31 NIO 84.5

9.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.70

$11.05 NIO 405

-31.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.40

$6.43 NIO 236

-2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.10

$8.09 NIO 296

18.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$3.87 NIO 142

-70.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$0.85 NIO 30.97

92.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$1.77 NIO 64.9

6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$2.21 NIO 80.9

0.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$4.03 NIO 148

-82.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$2.28 NIO 83.3

-71.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.10

$1.02 NIO 37.48

15.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.02 NIO 37.33

-31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.79

$2.72 NIO 99.8

9.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.46

$14.49 NIO 531

-48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.41 NIO 51.5

9.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.26 NIO 82.7

0.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.47 NIO 53.9

-3.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$6.86 NIO 251

5.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.35 NIO 49.38

-19.26%

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

$18.3K ₾48.0K

$23.0K NIO 844.2K

-20.50%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$25.9K NIO 949.3K

-20.98%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$97.2 NIO 3,559

-23.49%

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

$11.71 ₾30.65

$16.84 NIO 617

-30.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.08

$37.12 NIO 1,359

-52.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$7.79 NIO 285

-16.43%

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

$269 ₾704

$124 NIO 4,558

116.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$6,083 NIO 222.8K

-15.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$76.7 NIO 2,810

0.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$72.2 NIO 2,645

-39.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$135 NIO 4,949

-12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$110 NIO 4,011

2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,857

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,216

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,444

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,525

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,775

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$491 NIO 18.0K

34.93%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rivas: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Tbilisi pays 35% 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 $204 vs $260, 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 76% 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 35% higher in Tbilisi, 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 $1,191 per month in Tbilisi versus $678 in Rivas – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $678 in Rivas versus $1,191 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 $678 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 76% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.