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: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $679 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,091 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,503 in Shymkent.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 78% more expensive than Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$9.57 ₸4,664

12.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$19.66 ₸9,579

119.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$6.77 ₸3,298

22.45%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$1.87 ₸912

60.43%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.01 ₸490

-18.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.44 ₸213

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.16 ₸563

92.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$1.91 ₸930

52.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.10 ₸534

75.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.30 ₸148

126.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$1.57 ₸767

19.75%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$1.44 ₸702

76.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$7.95 ₸3,871

-6.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$4.24 ₸2,066

45.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$6.50 ₸3,166

44.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.00 ₸489

22.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.84 ₸894

-9.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.89 ₸920

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.02 ₸499

119.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.47 ₸231

51.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.38 ₸184

76.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.78 ₸378

51.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.64 ₸311

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$1.91 ₸930

56.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$3.97 ₸1,935

91.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.93 ₸454

65.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.38 ₸673

63.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.16 ₸77.7

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$0.84 ₸409

77.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.63 ₸308

7.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$5.91 ₸2,879

22.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.46 ₸222

147.83%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$19.8K ₸9.7M

-6.90%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$24.6K ₸12.0M

-18.69%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$51.1 ₸24.9K

44.33%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$8.84 ₸4,306

31.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$12.49 ₸6,086

42.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$32.82 ₸16.0K

83.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$7.69 ₸3,748

118.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$4.75 ₸2,315

38.95%

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

$266 ₾708

$49.35 ₸24.0K

439.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$4,935 ₸2.4M

5.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$32.43 ₸15.8K

139.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$30.01 ₸14.6K

49.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$123 ₸59.7K

-4.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$46.31 ₸22.6K

143.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$306 ₸149.1K

126.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$177 ₸86.4K

160.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$470 ₸229.2K

180.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$354 ₸172.4K

118.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$1,040 ₸506.5K

133.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$911 ₸443.6K

58.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$401 ₸195.1K

67.96%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $306 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 68% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $20.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $148 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 78% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $679 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tbilisi pays 68% more on average, 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $306 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $49.35 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $679 in Shymkent versus $1,209 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 78% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.