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: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $689 in Semey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $1,093 in Semey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,497 in Semey.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 77% more expensive than Semey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Semey 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$4.49 ₸2,194

141.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$27.81 ₸13.6K

58.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$4.86 ₸2,375

70.37%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.59 ₸775

89.94%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.92 ₸448

-17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.55 ₸269

-16.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.18 ₸578

89.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$1.81 ₸886

65.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$0.68 ₸332

183.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.32 ₸156

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.60 ₸780

15.00%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$1.28 ₸623

91.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$8.91 ₸4,350

-16.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$4.63 ₸2,262

39.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$7.05 ₸3,441

37.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$1.34 ₸655

-10.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.95 ₸950

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.93 ₸943

-7.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.91 ₸933

16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.55 ₸266

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$0.38 ₸184

78.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.94 ₸461

26.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.76 ₸372

-7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$2.57 ₸1,253

14.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$6.68 ₸3,263

9.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$0.98 ₸479

55.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$1.54 ₸753

46.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.22 ₸109

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.95 ₸465

57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.67 ₸326

8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$4.76 ₸2,326

56.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$0.47 ₸228

142.55%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$20.4K ₸10.0M

-9.16%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$24.6K ₸12.0M

-17.69%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$50.4 ₸24.6K

46.47%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$8.66 ₸4,232

35.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$12.96 ₸6,330

40.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$33.37 ₸16.3K

84.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$9.92 ₸4,846

67.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$4.35 ₸2,125

51.95%

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

$264 ₾700

$212 ₸103.6K

24.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$4,930 ₸2.4M

4.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$57.1 ₸27.9K

31.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$34.79 ₸17.0K

26.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$87.3 ₸42.6K

34.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$78.4 ₸38.3K

45.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$320 ₸156.2K

116.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$199 ₸97.4K

127.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$518 ₸252.9K

155.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$395 ₸192.9K

99.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Semey: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $320 in Semey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $28.00 in Semey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $165 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 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,827 in Tbilisi and $1,034 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $320 in Semey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 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 $28.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $689 in Semey versus $1,218 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 77% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.