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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $750 in Karaganda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,184 in Karaganda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,617 in Karaganda, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 60% 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

$10.82 ₾28.38

$8.45 ₸3,969

28.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$29.19 ₸13.7K

50.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$4.97 ₸2,334

67.20%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.85 ₸871

60.54%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.65 ₸304

18.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.46 ₸217

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.01 ₸474

111.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.96 ₸1,391

-3.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.02 ₸477

86.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.46 ₸217

54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.24 ₸581

54.03%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.72 ₸808

44.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$9.63 ₸4,526

-19.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$4.26 ₸2,004

45.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$7.18 ₸3,375

33.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.30 ₸613

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.43 ₸672

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.97 ₸927

-6.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.93 ₸905

20.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.59 ₸278

20.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.38 ₸177

76.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$1.01 ₸475

17.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.75 ₸352

-12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$1.74 ₸817

67.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$8.02 ₸3,768

-4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.00 ₸469

59.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.69 ₸795

36.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.19 ₸88.6

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$11.90 ₸5,592

24.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.72 ₸809

-12.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.43 ₸201

58.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$4.42 ₸2,079

64.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$0.48 ₸226

127.08%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$19.2K ₸9.0M

-3.30%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$25.4K ₸11.9M

-19.37%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$54.0 ₸25.4K

35.26%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$8.42 ₸3,956

42.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$13.22 ₸6,212

36.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$31.87 ₸15.0K

91.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$11.87 ₸5,577

39.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$4.56 ₸2,143

46.93%

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

$269 ₾705

$242 ₸113.8K

10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$4,868 ₸2.3M

5.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$55.5 ₸26.1K

37.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$35.07 ₸16.5K

23.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$89.1 ₸41.9K

35.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$86.0 ₸40.4K

28.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$331 ₸155.7K

107.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$210 ₸98.6K

124.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$573 ₸269.2K

136.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$398 ₸187.2K

98.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$996 ₸468.3K

147.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$684 ₸321.4K

112.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$533 ₸250.6K

23.61%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi versus $331 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 24% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $29.00 in Karaganda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $171 – 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: $1,197 in Tbilisi, $750 in Karaganda – roughly 60% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi and $1,125 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 24% less in Karaganda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Tbilisi and $242 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 $750, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. 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 $750 in Karaganda to $1,197 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.