Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktobe and Chengdu

For one person, living is cheaper in Chengdu: $741 a month against $881 in Aktobe, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Aktobe despite lower rent and utilities.

Aktobe
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$881
/mo nomad
Chengdu
🇨🇳 China
$741
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aktobe and in Chengdu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aktobe and in Chengdu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $881 per month in Aktobe vs $741 in Chengdu, rent included.

  • Aktobe $881
  • Chengdu $741

A couple spends around $1,386 per month in Aktobe vs $1,204 in Chengdu, rent included.

  • Aktobe $1,386
  • Chengdu $1,204

A family of three spends $1,891 per month in Aktobe vs $1,667 in Chengdu, rent included.

  • Aktobe $1,891
  • Chengdu $1,667

Aktobe costs about 19% more than Chengdu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Aktobe and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Aktobe 35% lower, Chengdu 45% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.74 ₸3,951
$2.80 ¥18.69
212.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.63 ₸18.4K
$22.37 ¥149
81.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.01 ₸3,170
$4.91 ¥32.81
42.77%
Cappuccino
$2.47 ₸1,115
$2.88 ¥19.26
-14.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 ₸567
$0.50 ¥3.37
152.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 ₸275
$0.28 ¥1.88
117.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 ₸831
$1.53 ¥10.19
20.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 ₸1,335
$2.19 ¥14.59
34.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 ₸641
$1.90 ¥12.71
-25.26%
White Bread (500g)
$0.41 ₸184
$1.50 ¥10.01
-72.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 ₸421
$0.99 ¥6.61
-6.06%
Eggs
$1.77 ₸799
$1.56 ¥10.40
13.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.82 ₸3,535
$14.54 ¥97.1
-46.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.68 ₸2,569
$3.66 ¥24.45
55.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.10 ₸4,115
$11.19 ¥74.7
-18.68%
Apples (1kg)
$1.62 ₸733
$1.85 ¥12.38
-12.43%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 ₸964
$1.37 ¥9.18
55.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ₸1,058
$1.09 ¥7.27
114.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.94 ₸878
$1.16 ¥7.73
67.24%
Potato (1kg)
$0.84 ₸378
$0.70 ¥4.70
20.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.40 ₸181
$0.72 ¥4.83
-44.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ₸494
$0.62 ¥4.16
75.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 ₸312
$0.54 ¥3.63
27.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53 ₸1,142
$3.72 ¥24.86
-31.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.95 ₸2,689
$4.58 ¥30.57
29.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₸489
$0.82 ¥5.48
31.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 ₸818
$1.48 ¥9.85
22.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 ₸90.8
$0.43 ¥2.87
-53.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.62 ₸7,966
$24.50 ¥164
-28.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.08 ₸487
$1.30 ¥8.69
-16.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 ₸511
$0.29 ¥1.94
289.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.53 ₸2,499
$4.46 ¥29.81
23.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.65 ₸294
$1.32 ¥8.80
-50.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.1K ₸10.4M
$19.6K ¥130.7K
18.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K ₸13.8M
$17.4K ¥115.9K
76.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.8 ₸25.2K
$47.19 ¥315
18.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.35 ₸4,680
$9.21 ¥61.5
12.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.93 ₸9,463
$12.45 ¥83.1
68.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.08 ₸21.7K
$26.80 ¥179
79.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.14 ₸5,490
$11.39 ¥76.1
6.58%
Cinema Ticket
$5.44 ₸2,458
$6.08 ¥40.57
-10.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$220 ₸99.6K
$379 ¥2,531
-41.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,286 ₸1.5M
$14.8K ¥98.9K
-77.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4 ₸24.6K
$25.28 ¥169
115.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.8 ₸25.2K
$27.77 ¥185
101.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ₸53.3K
$56.9 ¥380
107.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 ₸45.3K
$52.6 ¥351
90.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$307 ₸138.8K
$464 ¥3,099
-33.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$233 ₸105.5K
$248 ¥1,657
-5.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$453 ₸204.8K
$813 ¥5,429
-44.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$359 ₸162.3K
$533 ¥3,560
-32.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$846 ₸382.4K
$3,762 ¥25.1K
-77.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$546 ₸247.0K
$1,902 ¥12.7K
-71.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aktobe
Chengdu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$548 ₸247.8K
$1,252 ¥8,356
-56.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17
3.38
402.96%

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

Last update for Aktobe: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Aktobe
$234
Chengdu
$248 6.3% $15
Groceries & Markets
Aktobe
$185
Chengdu
$196 6% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Aktobe
$148
Chengdu
$73 50.5% $75
Eating Out
Aktobe
$143
Chengdu
$87 39.3% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktobe
$87
Chengdu
$69 20.9% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Aktobe
$59
Chengdu
$39 33.9% $20
Getting Around
Aktobe
$25
Chengdu
$29 15.2% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Aktobe versus $464 in Chengdu. 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 128% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Aktobe versus $22.00 in Chengdu. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Aktobe vs $196 in Chengdu – so Aktobe wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Aktobe
🇨🇳 Chengdu
🕒 Local time
12:48 12:48 PM
15:48 3:48 PM
3 h ahead of Aktobe
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
570,452
20,937,757
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.51 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aktobe Chengdu 4,430 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aktobe
  • Chengdu

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
Aktobe vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chengdu cheaper than Aktobe?
Yes – Aktobe is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,321 per month in Aktobe and $1,112 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Aktobe and in Chengdu?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Aktobe – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Aktobe or in Chengdu?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Aktobe and $22.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,200 enough for either Aktobe or Chengdu?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $881 in Aktobe and $741 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Aktobe or Chengdu more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aktobe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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