Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Baguio

For one person, living is cheaper in Baguio: $755 a month against $1,387 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,387
/mo nomad
Baguio
🇵🇭 Philippines
$755
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Baguio

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

A single person spends $1,387 per month in Almaty vs $755 in Baguio, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,387
  • Baguio $755

A couple spends around $2,135 per month in Almaty vs $1,183 in Baguio, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,135
  • Baguio $1,183

A family of three spends $2,883 per month in Almaty vs $1,611 in Baguio, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,883
  • Baguio $1,611

Almaty costs about 84% more than Baguio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 3% above the global median, while Baguio is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.31 ₸5,991
$3.97 ₱249
235.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 ₸19.5K
$16.85 ₱1,060
157.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.80 ₸3,959
$2.76 ₱174
218.84%
Cappuccino
$3.30 ₸1,486
$1.84 ₱115
79.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 ₸616
$0.60 ₱37.85
128.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₸406
$0.34 ₱21.46
164.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 ₸1,409
$1.01 ₱63.8
209.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.10 ₸1,847
$1.64 ₱103
150.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ₸749
$1.69 ₱106
-1.78%
White Bread (500g)
$0.90 ₸403
$1.13 ₱71.1
-20.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.06 ₸927
$1.03 ₱64.7
100.00%
Eggs
$2.37 ₸1,067
$2.02 ₱127
17.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.64 ₸5,689
$4.96 ₱312
154.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 ₸2,978
$3.37 ₱212
96.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.87 ₸4,893
$7.68 ₱483
41.54%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ₸839
$2.31 ₱145
-19.48%
Banana (1kg)
$2.37 ₸1,067
$1.60 ₱100
48.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 ₸1,348
$2.33 ₱147
28.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.83 ₸1,273
$1.08 ₱67.7
162.04%
Potato (1kg)
$0.77 ₸345
$1.67 ₱105
-53.89%
Onion (1kg)
$0.58 ₸262
$1.72 ₱108
-66.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.59 ₸718
$0.67 ₱42.02
137.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 ₸446
$0.53 ₱33.24
86.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54 ₸1,145
$2.98 ₱188
-14.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 ₸4,969
$8.72 ₱548
26.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸546
$0.97 ₱61.3
24.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 ₸1,085
$2.08 ₱131
15.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₸113
$0.25 ₱15.77
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.84 ₸9,831
$12.66 ₱796
72.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ₸577
$0.83 ₱52.1
54.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸289
$0.25 ₱15.82
156.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.74 ₸4,836
$1.89 ₱119
468.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.69 ₸312
$1.25 ₱78.9
-44.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K ₸10.0M
$21.1K ₱1.3M
5.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K ₸13.2M
$19.4K ₱1.2M
51.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.8 ₸39.5K
$142 ₱8,935
-38.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.83 ₸4,874
$17.90 ₱1,126
-39.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40 ₸7,831
$23.77 ₱1,495
-26.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.7 ₸31.4K
$21.07 ₱1,325
230.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.58 ₸12.0K
$5.18 ₱326
413.13%
Cinema Ticket
$6.68 ₸3,009
$5.15 ₱324
29.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$446 ₸200.8K
$132 ₱8,329
236.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₸5.4M
$10.8K ₱677.2K
10.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.7 ₸42.2K
$29.14 ₱1,832
221.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.91 ₸21.1K
$19.94 ₱1,254
135.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$143 ₸64.3K
$73.0 ₱4,591
95.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.1K
$55.5 ₱3,489
140.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$773 ₸348.1K
$403 ₱25.3K
91.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$497 ₸223.9K
$195 ₱12.2K
155.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,390 ₸625.9K
$824 ₱51.8K
68.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$880 ₸396.0K
$460 ₱28.9K
91.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,546 ₸1.1M
$2,677 ₱168.4K
-4.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,506 ₸678.2K
$928 ₱58.3K
62.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Baguio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$834 ₸375.2K
$185 ₱11.6K
351.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
6.75
205.93%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 5, 2026

Last update for Baguio: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$497
Baguio
$195 60.9% $303
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$251
Baguio
$175 30.4% $76
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Baguio
$74 63.9% $131
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$188
Baguio
$80 57.4% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$116
Baguio
$184 58.4% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$83
Baguio
$31 62.2% $52
Getting Around
Almaty
$27
Baguio
$16 42.4% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Almaty versus $403 in Baguio. 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 351% higher in Almaty, 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 $17.00 in Baguio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $175 – making Baguio the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇵🇭 Baguio
🕒 Local time
15:05 3:05 PM
17:05 5:05 PM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
366,358
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 450 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.54 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Baguio 5,070 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Baguio

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 Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baguio cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 84%, 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 $2,080 per month in Almaty and $1,133 in Baguio. 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 Baguio, 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 Baguio?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Almaty and $17.00 in Baguio. 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 Baguio?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,387 in Almaty and $755 in Baguio. That's a gap of about 84%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Baguio?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Baguio, where all-in costs run around $755, than in Almaty at $1,387. In Baguio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Baguio more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Baguio – 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 Baguio?
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 Baguio. 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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