Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $678 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,076 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $1,473 in Shymkent.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 76% more expensive than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Shymkent 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$9.93 ₸4,669

8.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$19.90 ₸9,353

120.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$6.99 ₸3,287

18.88%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.85 ₸868

60.54%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.99 ₸467

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.41 ₸192

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.15 ₸542

86.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$1.91 ₸898

50.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.15 ₸541

65.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.30 ₸142

136.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.63 ₸767

17.18%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.44 ₸676

72.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$7.92 ₸3,724

-2.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$4.18 ₸1,967

47.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$6.47 ₸3,042

47.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$0.96 ₸450

21.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.78 ₸837

-7.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.91 ₸896

-3.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.02 ₸480

128.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.48 ₸224

47.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.38 ₸178

76.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.79 ₸373

50.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.69 ₸322

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$1.99 ₸937

46.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$4.33 ₸2,034

77.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$0.94 ₸443

69.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.33 ₸627

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.14 ₸64.0

171.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$0.89 ₸418

68.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.62 ₸294

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$5.80 ₸2,724

25.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$0.50 ₸234

118.00%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$19.3K ₸9.1M

-3.68%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$23.9K ₸11.2M

-14.32%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$50.4 ₸23.7K

44.73%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$8.64 ₸4,060

38.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$12.73 ₸5,981

41.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$33.03 ₸15.5K

84.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$7.81 ₸3,670

111.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$5.04 ₸2,367

32.94%

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

$269 ₾705

$48.24 ₸22.7K

457.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$4,849 ₸2.3M

6.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$33.02 ₸15.5K

131.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$29.87 ₸14.0K

45.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$120 ₸56.4K

0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$46.86 ₸22.0K

135.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$297 ₸139.7K

131.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$174 ₸81.7K

170.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$475 ₸223.2K

184.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$365 ₸171.5K

116.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$1,039 ₸488.5K

137.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$935 ₸439.7K

55.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$415 ₸195.2K

58.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

19.5

-39.03%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $297 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 59% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $20.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $149 per month, with Shymkent 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 Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Shymkent differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($1,197 vs $678 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $687 in Tbilisi versus $297 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $48.24 in Shymkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shymkent – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $678 in Shymkent versus $1,197 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shymkent but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Shymkent the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Shymkent 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 Shymkent 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.