Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Semey Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Semey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $686 in Semey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,092 in Semey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,498 in Semey.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 74% more expensive than in Semey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Semey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$4.39 ₸2,080

148.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$27.29 ₸12.9K

58.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$4.89 ₸2,317

74.44%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$1.58 ₸748

89.24%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.92 ₸437

-11.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.56 ₸265

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$1.20 ₸569

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$1.83 ₸866

57.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$0.68 ₸320

185.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.32 ₸150

112.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.60 ₸757

15.63%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$1.35 ₸640

87.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$8.84 ₸4,190

-14.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$4.72 ₸2,238

32.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$7.24 ₸3,431

32.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$1.28 ₸608

-9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.96 ₸931

-16.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$1.98 ₸938

-5.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.97 ₸933

13.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.59 ₸280

18.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$0.38 ₸179

68.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.94 ₸445

25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.77 ₸366

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.57 ₸1,216

15.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$6.82 ₸3,235

8.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$0.92 ₸437

67.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.58 ₸749

44.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.21 ₸99.8

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.94 ₸448

51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.63 ₸299

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$4.79 ₸2,272

51.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$0.50 ₸236

118.00%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$19.8K ₸9.4M

-7.44%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$24.6K ₸11.7M

-16.81%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$50.8 ₸24.1K

46.50%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$8.86 ₸4,200

32.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$12.85 ₸6,091

36.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$33.68 ₸16.0K

78.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

$10.02 ₸4,750

62.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$4.36 ₸2,066

49.31%

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

$269 ₾704

$212 ₸100.4K

27.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$4,962 ₸2.4M

3.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$57.2 ₸27.1K

34.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$35.47 ₸16.8K

22.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$88.3 ₸41.9K

34.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$77.0 ₸36.5K

46.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$309 ₸146.3K

129.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$202 ₸95.8K

129.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$529 ₸250.7K

148.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$384 ₸182.1K

99.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

$1,036 ₸491.0K

140.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

$893 ₸423.1K

61.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Semey: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $309 in Semey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $27.00 in Semey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $166 per month, with Semey cheaper across the board.

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 Semey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Semey is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,787 in Tbilisi and $1,029 in Semey to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $709 in Tbilisi versus $309 in Semey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $212 in Semey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Semey – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $686 in Semey versus $1,191 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Semey but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Semey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Semey is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Semey 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 Semey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.