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: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $694 in Semey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,111 in Semey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,528 in Semey.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 71% more expensive than Semey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Semey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$4.43 ₸2,049

151.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$26.96 ₸12.5K

59.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$4.65 ₸2,152

76.77%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.54 ₸710

103.25%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.91 ₸421

-18.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.56 ₸257

-19.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.15 ₸533

85.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$1.84 ₸853

62.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$0.68 ₸315

177.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.34 ₸159

114.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.66 ₸768

11.45%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.28 ₸592

91.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$8.75 ₸4,048

-10.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.50 ₸2,079

38.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.07 ₸3,269

38.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$1.29 ₸595

-6.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.95 ₸902

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.97 ₸910

-9.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.89 ₸874

22.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.56 ₸259

26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.37 ₸173

81.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.00 ₸463

18.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.77 ₸355

-7.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$2.60 ₸1,203

12.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$6.82 ₸3,152

6.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$0.94 ₸437

64.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.61 ₸742

43.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.18 ₸81.1

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.02 ₸473

45.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.67 ₸311

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$4.79 ₸2,216

55.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$0.46 ₸213

150.00%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$20.1K ₸9.3M

-10.39%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$24.7K ₸11.4M

-19.55%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$50.3 ₸23.2K

46.12%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$8.62 ₸3,987

35.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$12.89 ₸5,959

37.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$33.61 ₸15.5K

80.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$9.68 ₸4,476

69.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$4.36 ₸2,018

49.31%

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

$263 ₾707

$214 ₸99.1K

22.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$4,808 ₸2.2M

6.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$56.4 ₸26.1K

37.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$35.66 ₸16.5K

24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$87.9 ₸40.7K

33.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$78.4 ₸36.3K

45.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$312 ₸144.2K

122.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$201 ₸92.8K

130.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$520 ₸240.3K

157.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$386 ₸178.2K

102.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Semey: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $312 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 $206 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,777 in Tbilisi and $1,041 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $312 in Semey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $263 in Tbilisi versus $214 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 $694 in Semey versus $1,185 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 71% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.