Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktau and Berlin
For one person, living is cheaper in Aktau: $793 a month against $2,551 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aktau and in Berlin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $793 per month in Aktau vs $2,551 in Berlin, rent included.
Aktau $793
Berlin $2,551
A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Aktau vs $3,845 in Berlin, rent included.
Aktau $1,317
Berlin $3,845
A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Aktau vs $5,139 in Berlin, rent included.
Aktau $1,842
Berlin $5,139
🙂
Aktau is about 69% cheaper than Berlin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Aktau sits 41% below the global median, while Berlin is 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.07₸5,005
$16.65€14.81
-33.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.55₸19.7K
$76.7€68.2
-43.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.17₸4,596
$13.47€11.98
-24.50%
Cappuccino
$2.49₸1,128
$4.37€3.89
-43.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74₸333
$3.48€3.09
-78.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48₸219
$3.12€2.77
-84.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.30₸586
$5.34€4.75
-75.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53₸690
$4.39€3.91
-65.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41₸638
$1.27€1.13
11.02%
White Bread(500g)
$0.47₸211
$2.33€2.08
-79.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.91₸864
$3.40€3.02
-43.82%
Eggs
$1.73₸783
$4.50€4.00
-61.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.87₸4,463
$16.78€14.93
-41.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.24₸1,915
$11.91€10.59
-64.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.95₸4,044
$17.90€15.92
-50.00%
Apples(1kg)
$1.53₸689
$3.46€3.07
-55.78%
Banana(1kg)
$2.24₸1,013
$1.95€1.73
14.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.35₸1,064
$3.26€2.90
-27.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.80₸1,264
$3.71€3.30
-24.53%
Potato(1kg)
$0.65₸295
$2.10€1.87
-69.05%
Onion(1kg)
$0.56₸254
$2.09€1.86
-73.21%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55₸700
$1.42€1.27
9.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94₸424
$0.95€0.84
-1.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.59₸1,172
$10.44€9.29
-75.19%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.54₸4,313
$6.58€5.85
44.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.72₸326
$1.27€1.13
-43.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87₸393
$2.08€1.85
-58.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18₸82.6
$4.34€3.86
-95.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$71.6€63.7
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.13₸512
$5.26€4.68
-78.52%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.64₸290
$3.09€2.75
-79.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$36.34€32.32
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.63₸283
$2.31€2.05
-72.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$32.4K€28.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K₸14.2M
$38.6K€34.3K
-18.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$45.69₸20.7K
$382€340
-88.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.94₸3,587
$18.83€16.75
-57.83%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.01₸4,979
$48.57€43.20
-77.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.98₸16.3K
$40.21€35.76
-10.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.90€31.04
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.18₸1,437
$15.73€14.00
-79.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$143₸64.8K
$142€126
1.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,621₸1.2M
$15.8K€14.0K
-83.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8₸30.2K
$95.4€84.8
-29.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.67₸18.4K
$46.32€41.20
-12.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.7₸32.4K
$104€92.4
-30.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6₸40.5K
$143€128
-37.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$330₸149.2K
$1,469€1,306
-77.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$196₸88.6K
$1,114€991
-82.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$551₸249.0K
$2,751€2,447
-79.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$393₸177.8K
$2,107€1,875
-81.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$813₸367.6K
$8,454€7,520
-90.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$659₸297.7K
$5,435€4,834
-87.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aktau
Berlin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$564₸254.8K
$3,543€3,151
-84.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
14
3.8
268.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Aktau: October 10, 2026
Last update for Berlin: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Aktau
$200 25.3%
Berlin
$343 13.4% ↑ 71.1%$142
🏠Accommodation & Living
Aktau
$196 24.7%
Berlin
$1.1K 43.7% ↑ 468%$918
🍽Eating Out
Aktau
$163 20.6%
Berlin
$288 11.3% ↑ 76.2%$125
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
$121 15.3%
Berlin
$175 6.9% ↑ 44.7%$54
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
$65 8.2%
Berlin
$449 17.6% ↑ 595%$384
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
$42 5.3%
Berlin
$72 2.8% ↑ 69.3%$29
🚌Getting Around
Aktau
$5.1 * 0.6%
Berlin
$110 4.3% ↑ 2063%$105
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Aktau
$460 25%
Berlin
$813 15.8% ↑ 76.6%$353
🏠Accommodation & Living
Aktau
$393 21.4%
Berlin
$2.1K 41% ↑ 436%$1.7K
🍽Eating Out
Aktau
$552 30%
Berlin
$956 18.6% ↑ 73.2%$404
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
$269 14.6%
Berlin
$389 7.6% ↑ 44.7%$120
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
$73 3.9%
Berlin
$468 9.1% ↑ 545%$395
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
$85 * 4.6%
Berlin
$178 3.5% ↑ 111%$94
🚌Getting Around
Aktau
$11 * 0.6%
Berlin
$228 4.4% ↑ 2072%$218
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Aktau versus $1,469 in Berlin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 528% higher in Berlin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Aktau versus $77.0 in Berlin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $343 – making Aktau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Aktau vs Berlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aktau or Berlin?
Berlin costs about 222% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Aktau and in Berlin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,189 per month in Aktau and $3,826 in Berlin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Aktau or Berlin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Aktau and in Berlin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Aktau and $77.0 in Berlin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Aktau or in Berlin?
Groceries cost about 71% more in Berlin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Aktau or in Berlin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aktau, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Berlin at $2,551. In Aktau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Aktau or Berlin?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $793 versus $2,551 in Berlin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Aktau compared to Berlin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Aktau or to Berlin?
If budget matters most, go with Aktau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.