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: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $707 in Semey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,146 in Semey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,584 in Semey.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 76% more expensive than in Semey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Semey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$4.97 ₸2,228

127.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$22.56 ₸10.1K

71.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$5.45 ₸2,443

74.68%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$1.69 ₸756

101.78%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.80 ₸356

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.52 ₸233

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$0.93 ₸415

180.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$1.41 ₸633

129.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.05 ₸469

106.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.33 ₸150

124.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.90 ₸851

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.51 ₸679

87.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$5.44 ₸2,440

69.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$3.78 ₸1,695

78.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$5.28 ₸2,365

141.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.26 ₸566

30.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.68 ₸755

5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.74 ₸780

7.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.69 ₸758

44.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.38 ₸172

128.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.57 ₸254

14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.27 ₸571

10.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.97 ₸436

-23.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$2.47 ₸1,108

38.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$7.10 ₸3,184

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.37 ₸616

24.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$2.18 ₸978

9.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.26 ₸117

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$16.98 ₸7,613

-10.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$1.37 ₸614

-13.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.18 ₸529

-35.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$6.69 ₸2,998

69.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$0.68 ₸304

95.59%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$24.2K ₸10.9M

2.11%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$26.0K ₸11.7M

-15.43%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$33.94 ₸15.2K

161.81%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$8.78 ₸3,936

51.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$18.96 ₸8,501

6.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$42.68 ₸19.1K

60.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$11.09 ₸4,972

63.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$4.35 ₸1,950

54.48%

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

$374 ₾971

$133 ₸59.4K

181.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$4,381 ₸2.0M

144.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$28.67 ₸12.9K

253.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$25.42 ₸11.4K

54.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$102 ₸45.5K

15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$75.2 ₸33.7K

62.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$353 ₸158.1K

93.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$234 ₸104.7K

95.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$637 ₸285.7K

104.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$484 ₸217.1K

85.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

$1,235 ₸553.6K

98.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$822 ₸368.4K

76.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

19.25

-34.44%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Semey: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $353 in Semey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $23.00 in Semey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $155 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 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,870 in Tbilisi and $1,061 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $353 in Semey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Semey runs roughly 11% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $133 in Semey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $707 in Semey versus $1,247 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 76% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.