Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Balga

For one person, living is cheaper in Almaty: $1,372 a month against $2,511 in Balga, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Balga
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Balga Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Balga

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,511

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Balga

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $2,511 in Balga, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Balga $2,511

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $3,781 in Balga, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Balga $3,781

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $5,052 in Balga, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Balga $5,052

Almaty is about 45% cheaper than Balga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Almaty and Balga sit above the global median – Almaty by 2%, Balga by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$19.89 A$28.62

-33.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$84.9 A$122

-47.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$10.54 A$15.16

-15.56%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$4.47 A$6.43

-27.29%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$2.83 A$4.08

-50.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$2.21 A$3.18

-60.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$8.33 A$11.98

-59.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$8.48 A$12.21

-52.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$1.71 A$2.46

-1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$3.14 A$4.52

-72.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$1.97 A$2.83

3.05%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$5.30 A$7.62

-54.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$9.50 A$13.66

31.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$9.43 A$13.57

-28.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$13.90 A$20.00

-21.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$4.60 A$6.61

-60.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$3.10 A$4.45

-27.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$3.42 A$4.92

-14.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$4.99 A$7.18

-44.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$2.82 A$4.05

-73.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$1.98 A$2.84

-72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$2.25 A$3.23

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$1.32 A$1.90

-20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$41.48 A$59.7

-93.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$12.65 A$18.21

-11.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$4.32 A$6.21

-71.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$3.55 A$5.11

-31.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$2.62 A$3.77

-90.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$73.4 A$106

-69.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$3.57 A$5.14

-62.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$1.43 A$2.06

-55.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$41.05 A$59.1

-72.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$1.39 A$2.00

-48.20%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$27.0K A$38.8K

-16.50%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$29.2K A$42.0K

3.75%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$194 A$279

-52.67%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$32.84 A$47.26

-67.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$62.9 A$90.5

-71.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$63.7 A$91.7

10.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

$17.91 A$25.77

54.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$17.18 A$24.72

-60.54%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$2,261 A$3,253

-80.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$22.8K A$32.9K

-47.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$76.6 A$110

17.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$64.9 A$93.4

-27.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$121 A$174

17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$165 A$237

-19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$1,321 A$1,901

-39.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$1,147 A$1,650

-56.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$2,150 A$3,094

-33.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$1,981 A$2,851

-54.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$5,585 A$8,037

-55.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$5,491 A$7,902

-71.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$3,320 A$4,778

-73.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

5.91

249.41%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Balga: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Balga

$1.1K 45.7% 130% $647

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Balga

$366 14.6% 46.3% $116

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Balga

$323 12.9% 57.7% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Balga

$192 7.7% 3.7% $6.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Balga

$290 11.5% 141% $169

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Balga

$98 3.9% 16.9% $14

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Balga

$95 3.8% 243% $67

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $1,321 in Balga. 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 282% higher in Balga, 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 $45.00 in Almaty versus $85.0 in Balga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $366 – making Almaty the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇦🇺 Balga

🕒 Local time

23:56 11:56 PM

01:56 1:56 AM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

12,685

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, 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).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Almaty Balga 9,240 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Balga

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 Balga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Balga is pricier by about 83%, 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 $3,766 in Balga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $85.0 in Balga. 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 $2,511 in Balga. That's a gap of about 83%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,372, than in Balga at $2,511. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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