Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ruwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ruwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $493 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $753 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,013 in Ruwi.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 145% more expensive than Ruwi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Ruwi 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-2.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$2.01 OMR 0.77

-66.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.02 OMR 0.39

84.31%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$1.22 OMR 0.47

108.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$2.05 OMR 0.79

261.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$1.96 OMR 0.76

215.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$4.92 OMR 1.90

90.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.01 OMR 0.39

20.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$0.97 OMR 0.37

71.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$0.98 OMR 0.38

83.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.02 OMR 0.39

119.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.99 OMR 0.38

-28.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.98 OMR 0.38

20.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

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

$73.7 ₾196

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$26.00 OMR 10.01

-55.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$77.2 OMR 29.71

-76.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$9.25 OMR 3.56

-28.65%

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

$266 ₾708

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$13.2K OMR 5,080

-60.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$391 OMR 151

77.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$255 OMR 98.2

80.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$920 OMR 354

43.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$573 OMR 221

35.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$2,566 OMR 988

-73.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $391 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 281% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Ruwi differ by about 145% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $493 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ruwi earns 281% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $391 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Tbilisi versus $493 in Ruwi – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $493 in Ruwi versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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 Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.