Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Bago

For one person, living is cheaper in Bago: $696 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Bago
🇵🇭 Philippines
$696
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Bago

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $696 in Bago, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,372
  • Bago $696

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,085 in Bago, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,142
  • Bago $1,085

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,475 in Bago, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,913
  • Bago $1,475

Almaty costs about 97% more than Bago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Bago is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Bago
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16 ₸5,949
$3.77 ₱237
249.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.86 ₸20.3K
$15.36 ₱967
192.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 ₸4,022
$3.13 ₱197
184.35%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ₸1,469
$2.06 ₱130
57.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 ₸639
$0.71 ₱44.84
98.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₸399
$0.31 ₱19.26
183.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 ₸1,513
$1.06 ₱66.7
216.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₸1,827
$2.10 ₱132
92.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Bago
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₸762
$1.45 ₱91.5
16.55%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 ₸390
$1.05 ₱65.8
-18.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ₸917
$0.89 ₱56.0
128.09%
Eggs
$2.43 ₸1,100
$1.70 ₱107
42.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.46 ₸5,632
$5.64 ₱355
120.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,033
$4.68 ₱294
43.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,905
$7.51 ₱473
44.47%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₸813
$2.68 ₱169
-32.84%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,018
$1.72 ₱109
30.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ₸1,314
$2.58 ₱163
12.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 ₸1,243
$1.29 ₱81.4
113.18%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₸337
$1.72 ₱109
-56.40%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸248
$1.86 ₱117
-70.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸732
$1.01 ₱63.3
60.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₸474
$0.50 ₱31.69
110.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,167
$3.30 ₱207
-21.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,042
$7.16 ₱451
55.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸547
$0.90 ₱56.4
34.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₸1,104
$1.87 ₱117
30.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Bago
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₸117
$0.21 ₱13.43
23.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.03 ₸9,957
$10.85 ₱683
103.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₸611
$0.66 ₱41.31
104.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$0.23 ₱14.56
178.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.16 ₸5,044
$1.93 ₱121
478.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸324
$1.30 ₱81.5
-44.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ₸10.2M
$24.5K ₱1.5M
-8.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K ₸13.7M
$18.8K ₱1.2M
61.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Bago
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.8 ₸41.5K
$109 ₱6,893
-16.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.66 ₸4,820
$13.03 ₱821
-18.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.86 ₸8,072
$26.14 ₱1,646
-31.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Bago
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.3 ₸31.8K
$29.61 ₱1,864
137.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.60 ₸12.5K
$5.30 ₱333
420.75%
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 ₸3,064
$4.97 ₱313
36.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Bago
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$449 ₸202.9K
$130 ₱8,157
246.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K ₸5.5M
$8,189 ₱515.6K
47.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Bago
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 ₸40.7K
$36.58 ₱2,303
145.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.02 ₸21.3K
$21.81 ₱1,373
115.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 ₸64.1K
$76.6 ₱4,823
85.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.0K
$63.2 ₱3,977
110.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Bago
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 ₸363.7K
$294 ₱18.5K
173.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₸225.9K
$147 ₱9,268
239.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₸645.9K
$455 ₱28.6K
214.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$904 ₸408.8K
$347 ₱21.9K
160.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,503 ₸1.1M
$2,607 ₱164.2K
-3.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,559 ₸704.7K
$876 ₱55.1K
78.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Bago
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$870 ₸393.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
6.79
204.12%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Bago: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$500
Bago
$147 70.5% $352
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$250
Bago
$180 28% $70
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Bago
$78 62% $127
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Bago
$89 51.8% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$120
Bago
$149 23.5% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$84
Bago
$40 52.9% $44
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Bago
$14 51.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $294 in Bago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty versus $15.00 in Bago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $180 – making Bago the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇵🇭 Bago
🕒 Local time
04:29 4:29 AM
06:29 6:29 AM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
191,210
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

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).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Bago 5,720 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Bago

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 Bago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bago cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 97%, 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 $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,044 in Bago. 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 Bago, 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 Bago?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $15.00 in Bago. 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 Bago?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $696 in Bago. That's a gap of about 97%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Bago?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bago, where all-in costs run around $696, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Bago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Bago more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bago – 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 Bago. 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.

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