Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Aktobe

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktobe: $874 a month against $1,362 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
Learn more

Almaty Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Aktobe
Learn more

Aktobe Living Index

Jump to prices

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,362

/mo nomad

Aktobe

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$874

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Aktobe

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

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Almaty vs $874 in Aktobe, rent included.

Almaty $1,362
Aktobe $874

A couple spends around $2,151 per month in Almaty vs $1,378 in Aktobe, rent included.

Almaty $2,151
Aktobe $1,378

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Almaty vs $1,882 in Aktobe, rent included.

Almaty $2,940
Aktobe $1,882

Almaty costs about 56% more than Aktobe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.32 ₸6,066

$8.77 ₸3,993

51.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.80 ₸20.4K

$40.35 ₸18.4K

11.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 ₸4,071

$7.24 ₸3,299

23.48%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ₸1,537

$2.35 ₸1,069

43.40%

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

$1.32 ₸602

$1.27 ₸577

3.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₸398

$0.56 ₸256

55.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 ₸1,434

$1.85 ₸845

70.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₸1,801

$2.97 ₸1,352

33.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₸756

$1.36 ₸621

22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸393

$0.39 ₸178

120.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ₸913

$0.92 ₸419

118.48%

Eggs

$2.47 ₸1,127

$1.69 ₸769

46.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 ₸5,728

$8.11 ₸3,696

55.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 ₸2,992

$5.65 ₸2,576

16.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ₸4,832

$9.01 ₸4,103

17.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ₸816

$1.68 ₸763

6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₸1,046

$2.19 ₸998

5.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 ₸1,349

$2.44 ₸1,110

21.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 ₸1,301

$1.93 ₸880

48.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₸367

$0.78 ₸354

3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₸268

$0.40 ₸183

47.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 ₸721

$1.14 ₸521

38.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₸453

$0.68 ₸309

45.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 ₸1,248

$2.60 ₸1,183

5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 ₸5,147

$5.95 ₸2,709

89.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₸558

$1.07 ₸488

14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₸1,122

$1.68 ₸764

46.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.17 ₸75.5

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.98 ₸10.0K

$17.82 ₸8,116

23.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸616

$1.13 ₸516

19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₸320

$1.09 ₸498

-35.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.12 ₸5,065

$5.49 ₸2,499

102.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸329

$0.68 ₸312

5.88%

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

$28.4K ₸12.9M

$23.7K ₸10.8M

19.89%

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

$31.8K ₸14.5M

$31.1K ₸14.2M

2.26%

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

$91.3 ₸41.6K

$55.2 ₸25.1K

65.50%

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

$10.60 ₸4,827

$10.29 ₸4,689

3.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.89 ₸8,147

$21.12 ₸9,621

-15.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ₸29.7K

$46.47 ₸21.2K

40.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.76 ₸12.6K

$12.32 ₸5,611

125.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ₸2,945

$5.67 ₸2,584

14.11%

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

$473 ₸215.3K

$221 ₸100.6K

114.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ₸5.6M

$3,271 ₸1.5M

274.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.1 ₸42.4K

$55.2 ₸25.1K

68.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.67 ₸21.7K

$55.5 ₸25.3K

-14.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 ₸65.0K

$118 ₸53.6K

21.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 ₸61.3K

$100 ₸45.6K

34.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₸355.5K

$303 ₸137.9K

157.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 ₸224.1K

$229 ₸104.4K

114.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 ₸646.5K

$449 ₸204.4K

216.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$934 ₸425.5K

$356 ₸161.9K

162.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,462 ₸1.1M

$845 ₸385.1K

191.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,591 ₸724.9K

$542 ₸246.7K

193.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$873 ₸397.4K

$550 ₸250.7K

58.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

21.47%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$492 36.1%

Aktobe

$229 26.2% 53.4% $263

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.4%

Aktobe

$185 21.2% 26% $65

Eating Out

Almaty

$206 15.1%

Aktobe

$143 16.3% 30.9% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$188 13.8%

Aktobe

$148 16.9% 21.4% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Aktobe

$87 9.9% 27.7% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$78 5.7%

Aktobe

$58 6.6% 26.1% $20

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2.1%

Aktobe

$25 2.9% 10% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $780 in Almaty versus $303 in Aktobe. 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 59% higher in Almaty. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Almaty versus $40 in Aktobe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $185 – making Aktobe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇰🇿 Aktobe

🕒 Local time

01:28 1:28 AM

Same time as Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

570,452

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Almaty Aktobe 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Aktobe

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

Almaty vs Aktobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 56%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Almaty and $1,311 in Aktobe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktobe, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $303 there versus $780 in Almaty.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Almaty, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Almaty and $40 in Aktobe. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aktobe, where all-in costs run around $874, than in Almaty at $1,362. In Aktobe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aktobe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Aktobe. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Almaty makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.