Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Alor Setar

For one person, living is cheaper in Alor Setar: $881 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Alor Setar
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Alor Setar Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Alor Setar

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$881

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Alor Setar

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 Alor Setar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $881 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Alor Setar $881

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,277 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Alor Setar $1,277

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,672 in Alor Setar, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Alor Setar $1,672

Almaty costs about 56% more than Alor Setar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Alor Setar is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$2.08 MYR 8.48

532.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$12.30 MYR 50.2

264.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$4.28 MYR 17.44

107.94%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$1.82 MYR 7.40

78.57%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$0.56 MYR 2.30

151.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.30 MYR 1.24

193.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$4.25 MYR 17.33

-21.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$4.33 MYR 17.68

-6.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$1.60 MYR 6.51

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$0.85 MYR 3.49

1.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$1.68 MYR 6.85

20.83%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$1.51 MYR 6.17

60.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$13.63 MYR 55.6

-8.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$4.35 MYR 17.76

54.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$8.75 MYR 35.68

24.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$2.94 MYR 11.98

-38.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.24 MYR 5.04

81.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$2.72 MYR 11.10

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$1.45 MYR 5.91

89.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$1.06 MYR 4.33

-29.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$1.10 MYR 4.48

47.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$0.54 MYR 2.18

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$4.50 MYR 18.37

-42.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$18.89 MYR 77.1

-40.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$2.90 MYR 11.83

-58.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$5.36 MYR 21.88

-54.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.79 MYR 3.21

-67.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$10.78 MYR 43.98

104.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$1.67 MYR 6.80

-19.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.40 MYR 1.65

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$7.37 MYR 30.08

51.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$0.51 MYR 2.09

41.18%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$41.8K MYR 170.3K

-46.07%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$35.9K MYR 146.6K

-15.77%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$37.61 MYR 153

144.11%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$7.49 MYR 30.57

42.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$21.82 MYR 89.0

-18.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$39.96 MYR 163

76.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

$7.19 MYR 29.33

283.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$4.95 MYR 20.19

36.97%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$427 MYR 1,741

5.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$10.7K MYR 43.7K

13.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$60.3 MYR 246

49.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$34.46 MYR 141

36.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$82.4 MYR 336

72.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$68.8 MYR 281

93.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$371 MYR 1,513

116.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$305 MYR 1,246

63.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$662 MYR 2,700

115.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$449 MYR 1,831

101.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$1,986 MYR 8,103

26.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$970 MYR 3,958

60.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$1,642 MYR 6,697

-47.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

4.04

411.14%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Alor Setar: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Alor Setar

$305 34.7% 38.9% $194

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Alor Setar

$246 27.9% 1.9% $4.6

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Alor Setar

$85 9.6% 58.7% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Alor Setar

$111 12.6% 40.2% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Alor Setar

$67 7.6% 44.4% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Alor Setar

$50 5.7% 40.6% $34

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Alor Setar

$18 2% 36.2% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $371 in Alor Setar. 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 89% higher in Alor Setar, 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 $45.00 in Almaty versus $12.00 in Alor Setar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $246 – making Alor Setar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇲🇾 Alor Setar

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

01:57 1:57 AM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

423,868

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Almaty Alor Setar 4,720 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Alor Setar

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 Alor Setar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,321 in Alor Setar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alor Setar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $12.00 in Alor Setar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $881 in Alor Setar. That's a gap of about 56%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alor Setar, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Alor Setar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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.

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