Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Almaty: $1,363 a month against $1,771 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,363
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Athens

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

A single person spends $1,363 per month in Almaty vs $1,771 in Athens, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,363
  • Athens $1,771

A couple spends around $2,131 per month in Almaty vs $2,736 in Athens, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,131
  • Athens $2,736

A family of three spends $2,900 per month in Almaty vs $3,701 in Athens, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,900
  • Athens $3,701

Almaty is about 23% cheaper than Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Almaty and Athens sit above the global median – Almaty by 1%, Athens by 31%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.05 ₸5,899
$16.83 €14.97
-22.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.44 ₸19.6K
$68.2 €60.7
-36.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ₸3,962
$11.43 €10.17
-23.36%
Cappuccino
$3.32 ₸1,501
$4.06 €3.61
-18.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 ₸607
$2.74 €2.44
-51.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 ₸374
$0.53 €0.47
56.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.36 ₸1,518
$5.69 €5.06
-40.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 ₸1,818
$5.68 €5.06
-29.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 ₸747
$1.85 €1.64
-10.81%
White Bread (500g)
$0.93 ₸421
$1.44 €1.28
-35.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 ₸927
$2.82 €2.51
-27.30%
Eggs
$2.46 ₸1,113
$4.86 €4.32
-49.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.49 ₸5,646
$15.27 €13.58
-18.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,035
$10.36 €9.21
-35.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,905
$19.10 €16.99
-43.19%
Apples (1kg)
$1.78 ₸807
$2.22 €1.98
-19.82%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,018
$1.92 €1.71
17.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.87 ₸1,299
$1.41 €1.25
103.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.71 ₸1,227
$2.04 €1.82
32.84%
Potato (1kg)
$0.80 ₸362
$1.05 €0.93
-23.81%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸249
$1.17 €1.04
-52.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸732
$1.08 €0.96
50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 ₸453
$0.84 €0.75
19.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,167
$5.49 €4.89
-53.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,039
$10.17 €9.05
9.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 ₸572
$2.13 €1.90
-40.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 ₸1,120
$2.28 €2.03
8.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ₸128
$1.37 €1.22
-79.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.05 ₸9,970
$29.71 €26.43
-25.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.34 ₸607
$4.39 €3.90
-69.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$1.00 €0.89
-36.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.04 ₸4,993
$16.63 €14.79
-33.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸326
$2.38 €2.11
-69.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K ₸12.7M
$28.4K €25.3K
-0.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.8K ₸14.4M
$27.2K €24.2K
16.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.5 ₸40.9K
$203 €181
-55.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.63 ₸4,805
$26.79 €23.83
-60.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.12 ₸8,190
$30.16 €26.82
-39.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.0 ₸31.2K
$53.7 €47.74
28.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.98 ₸12.2K
$26.40 €23.48
2.20%
Cinema Ticket
$6.77 ₸3,062
$10.59 €9.42
-36.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$444 ₸200.6K
$566 €504
-21.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K ₸5.4M
$12.9K €11.4K
-6.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 ₸41.5K
$89.1 €79.3
3.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.80 ₸21.6K
$40.48 €36.01
18.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 ₸63.0K
$104 €92.3
34.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 ₸59.4K
$124 €111
5.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$777 ₸351.2K
$729 €648
6.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$494 ₸223.4K
$647 €576
-23.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,439 ₸650.4K
$1,328 €1,181
8.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$905 ₸409.2K
$1,169 €1,040
-22.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,470 ₸1.1M
$4,024 €3,579
-38.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,517 ₸685.7K
$3,483 €3,098
-56.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$857 ₸387.2K
$1,240 €1,103
-30.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
4.48
360.94%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 18, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$494
Athens
$647 31% $153
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$251
Athens
$312 24.7% $62
Eating Out
Almaty
$204
Athens
$271 32.6% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Athens
$161 12.9% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$119
Athens
$260 118% $141
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$83
Athens
$75 9.3% $7.7
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Athens
$45 60.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $777 in Almaty versus $729 in Athens. 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 45% higher in Athens, 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 $43.00 in Almaty versus $68.0 in Athens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $312 – making Almaty the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
07:14 7:14 AM
03:14 3:14 AM
4 h behind Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Athens 4,450 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Athens

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 Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Athens cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Athens is pricier by about 30%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,044 per month in Almaty and $2,657 in Athens. 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 Almaty, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Almaty or in Athens?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Almaty and $68.0 in Athens. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Almaty and in Athens?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,363 in Almaty and $1,771 in Athens. That's a gap of about 30%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Athens?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,363, than in Athens at $1,771. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Athens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Athens more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Almaty – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Almaty or Athens?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Almaty. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Athens makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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