Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Almaty Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Almaty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,068 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,679 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,291 in Almaty, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 11% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Almaty 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$7.92 ₸3,631

40.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$39.67 ₸18.2K

8.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$6.66 ₸3,057

23.42%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.41 ₸1,107

29.88%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.95 ₸437

-22.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.57 ₸262

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.41 ₸646

51.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.89 ₸1,324

3.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.27 ₸582

48.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.54 ₸249

35.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.48 ₸681

25.00%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.71 ₸787

43.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$9.62 ₸4,415

-18.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.46 ₸2,044

40.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.62 ₸3,498

28.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$1.34 ₸615

-9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.90 ₸872

-16.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.89 ₸868

-5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$2.00 ₸919

16.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.59 ₸270

20.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.42 ₸193

59.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.30 ₸597

-9.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.70 ₸320

1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$1.98 ₸908

47.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$8.46 ₸3,882

-14.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$0.84 ₸383

84.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.14 ₸982

7.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.22 ₸101

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$17.79 ₸8,162

-16.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.14 ₸522

29.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.67 ₸305

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$4.59 ₸2,105

62.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$0.49 ₸224

134.69%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$23.2K ₸10.7M

-22.48%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$27.5K ₸12.6M

-27.79%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$62.4 ₸28.6K

17.73%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$9.01 ₸4,134

29.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$13.41 ₸6,153

32.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$47.68 ₸21.9K

27.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$21.81 ₸10.0K

-24.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$5.12 ₸2,347

27.15%

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

$263 ₾707

$261 ₸119.9K

0.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$12.6K ₸5.8M

-59.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$85.8 ₸39.4K

-9.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$44.05 ₸20.2K

0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$97.6 ₸44.8K

20.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$120 ₸55.2K

-5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$653 ₸299.8K

6.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$417 ₸191.1K

11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$1,188 ₸545.2K

12.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$753 ₸345.6K

3.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$2,151 ₸986.6K

17.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$1,319 ₸605.1K

8.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$816 ₸374.3K

-22.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

18.39

-35.35%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Almaty: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $653 in Almaty. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Almaty, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $40.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $182 – making Almaty the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $1,602 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Almaty, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $40.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,185 in Tbilisi and $1,068 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almaty – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Almaty. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.