Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Karaganda Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Karaganda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $752 in Karaganda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,187 in Karaganda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,623 in Karaganda, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 61% more than Karaganda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Karaganda are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Karaganda 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$8.53 ₸4,180

26.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$29.67 ₸14.5K

45.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$4.97 ₸2,437

66.80%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.85 ₸907

62.16%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.70 ₸343

17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.47 ₸228

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$0.95 ₸467

134.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$3.01 ₸1,473

-2.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$0.94 ₸463

105.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.44 ₸215

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.30 ₸638

44.62%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$1.73 ₸845

46.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$9.48 ₸4,644

-21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$4.24 ₸2,079

45.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$7.25 ₸3,555

29.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.32 ₸646

-7.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.45 ₸711

14.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.89 ₸929

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.98 ₸971

13.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.56 ₸273

26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.41 ₸200

63.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.99 ₸486

19.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.76 ₸372

-13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$1.79 ₸878

66.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$7.87 ₸3,857

-3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.99 ₸487

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.65 ₸807

36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.22 ₸108

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$11.56 ₸5,666

24.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.78 ₸872

-16.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.45 ₸222

51.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$4.38 ₸2,148

65.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.45 ₸219

153.33%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$19.0K ₸9.3M

-2.88%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$25.1K ₸12.3M

-20.46%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$53.9 ₸26.4K

36.70%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$8.04 ₸3,941

44.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$13.00 ₸6,372

37.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$32.29 ₸15.8K

86.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$11.76 ₸5,764

42.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$4.47 ₸2,191

47.65%

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

$266 ₾708

$240 ₸117.4K

11.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$4,875 ₸2.4M

6.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$55.6 ₸27.2K

39.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$35.64 ₸17.5K

25.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$86.6 ₸42.5K

34.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$83.9 ₸41.1K

34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$333 ₸163.0K

108.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$210 ₸102.9K

119.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$569 ₸279.0K

131.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$400 ₸195.8K

93.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$977 ₸478.5K

148.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$653 ₸319.8K

121.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$523 ₸256.2K

28.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

16.12

-26.24%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $333 in Karaganda. 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 Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $30.00 in Karaganda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $170 – making Karaganda 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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $752 in Karaganda – roughly 61% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,127 in Karaganda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 25% less in Karaganda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $266 per month in Tbilisi and $240 in Karaganda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaganda, where all-in costs run around $752, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Karaganda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $752 in Karaganda to $1,209 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Karaganda. 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.