Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Balikpapan

For one person, living is cheaper in Balikpapan: $668 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 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
32

Cost of Living Index in Balikpapan
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Balikpapan Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Balikpapan

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$668

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Balikpapan

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $668 in Balikpapan, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Balikpapan $668

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,048 in Balikpapan, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Balikpapan $1,048

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,428 in Balikpapan, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Balikpapan $1,428

Almaty costs about 105% more than Balikpapan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Balikpapan is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

846.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$10.95 Rp 197.1K

309.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$3.05 Rp 55.0K

191.80%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$1.36 Rp 24.5K

138.97%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$0.37 Rp 6,712

281.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.38 Rp 6,871

131.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

48.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

21.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

49.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

-19.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

75.00%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$2.54 Rp 45.8K

-4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$7.38 Rp 132.8K

68.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$2.92 Rp 52.6K

129.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$8.04 Rp 144.7K

34.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.30 Rp 23.4K

73.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

65.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

116.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$1.26 Rp 22.7K

-40.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$1.90 Rp 34.2K

-71.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$0.72 Rp 13.0K

45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

36.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$20.83 Rp 374.9K

-46.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$1.87 Rp 33.7K

-35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$3.02 Rp 54.3K

-19.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.29 Rp 5,219

-10.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.38 Rp 6,777

68.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$2.59 Rp 46.7K

330.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

-6.49%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$23.4K Rp 420.6M

-3.61%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$31.0K Rp 558.8M

-2.49%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

36.06%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$4.36 Rp 78.4K

144.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$29.86 Rp 537.4K

-40.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$23.74 Rp 427.4K

196.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

$8.46 Rp 152.2K

226.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$2.84 Rp 51.1K

138.73%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$93.1 Rp 1.7M

381.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$8,570 Rp 154.3M

41.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$38.14 Rp 686.6K

135.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$18.66 Rp 335.9K

151.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$141 Rp 2.5M

0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

87.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$203 Rp 3.7M

296.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$148 Rp 2.7M

238.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$537 Rp 9.7M

165.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$361 Rp 6.5M

150.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$1,258 Rp 22.6M

99.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$818 Rp 14.7M

90.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$238 Rp 4.3M

265.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

9.46

118.29%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Balikpapan

$148 22.1% 70.4% $352

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Balikpapan

$206 30.9% 17.5% $44

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Balikpapan

$57 8.6% 72% $147

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Balikpapan

$121 18.1% 34.8% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Balikpapan

$102 15.2% 15.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Balikpapan

$29 4.4% 64.9% $54

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Balikpapan

$4.2 * 0.6% 84.8% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $203 in Balikpapan. 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 266% 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 $45.00 in Almaty versus $11.00 in Balikpapan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $206 – making Balikpapan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇮🇩 Balikpapan

🕒 Local time

11:39 11:39 AM

13:39 1:39 PM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

701,066

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Almaty Balikpapan 6,340 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Balikpapan

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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 105%, 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 $1,002 in Balikpapan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $668 in Balikpapan. That's a gap of about 105%.

Kindergarten costs $449 per month in Almaty and $93.1 in Balikpapan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikpapan, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Balikpapan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Balikpapan – 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 Balikpapan. 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.