Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Bloemfontein Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Bloemfontein

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,381 per month in Almaty vs $1,066 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,187 per month in Almaty vs $1,690 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,993 per month in Almaty vs $2,313 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

Almaty costs about 30% more than Bloemfontein, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Almaty sits 1% above the global median, while Bloemfontein is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.67 ₸6,129

$12.32 R 202

10.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.32 ₸20.3K

$42.44 R 695

6.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ₸3,925

$7.48 R 123

17.11%

Cappuccino

$3.23 ₸1,450

$2.14 R 35.06

50.93%

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

$1.34 ₸602

$1.48 R 24.20

-9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸417

$1.15 R 18.77

-19.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₸1,237

$2.55 R 41.82

8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ₸1,836

$2.80 R 45.94

46.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₸753

$1.09 R 17.91

54.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ₸376

$1.05 R 17.18

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ₸976

$2.13 R 34.96

2.35%

Eggs

$2.50 ₸1,120

$2.19 R 35.94

14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 ₸5,636

$7.73 R 127

62.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₸3,031

$4.98 R 81.5

35.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 ₸5,016

$8.20 R 134

36.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ₸877

$2.03 R 33.20

-3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 ₸1,075

$1.59 R 26.12

50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₸1,302

$1.76 R 28.87

64.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 ₸1,281

$1.59 R 25.97

79.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₸353

$1.57 R 25.64

-49.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₸264

$1.89 R 31.03

-68.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ₸767

$1.13 R 18.44

51.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₸446

$0.98 R 16.07

1.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₸1,153

$2.51 R 41.10

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,000

$5.02 R 82.2

122.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₸559

$1.77 R 29.05

-29.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₸1,048

$1.39 R 22.76

68.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₸127

$0.95 R 15.51

-70.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.71 ₸9,735

$76.0 R 1,245

-71.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₸584

$1.14 R 18.64

14.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₸312

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.27 ₸5,050

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 ₸304

$1.40 R 22.89

-51.43%

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

$22.7K ₸10.2M

$37.8K R 618.4K

-39.93%

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

$30.1K ₸13.5M

$29.8K R 488.6K

0.85%

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

$93.2 ₸41.8K

$80.1 R 1,313

16.31%

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

$10.81 ₸4,846

$33.60 R 550

-67.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.01 ₸8,073

$32.14 R 526

-43.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 ₸33.8K

$31.72 R 519

137.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.99 ₸13.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 ₸2,995

$4.98 R 81.6

34.14%

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

$447 ₸200.3K

$199 R 3,259

124.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₸5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 ₸41.2K

$61.9 R 1,013

48.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.73 ₸20.9K

$42.90 R 703

8.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 ₸63.3K

$136 R 2,234

3.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸59.7K

$116 R 1,897

15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₸366.1K

$320 R 5,248

154.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₸223.8K

$290 R 4,757

71.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₸678.1K

$513 R 8,399

194.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 ₸411.4K

$543 R 8,902

68.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,535 ₸1.1M

$499 R 8,180

407.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ₸691.9K

$652 R 10.7K

136.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$875 ₸392.1K

$1,332 R 21.8K

-34.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.61

12.13

69.91%

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

Last update for Almaty: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bloemfontein: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Almaty versus $320 in Bloemfontein. 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 52% higher in Bloemfontein, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty versus $42.00 in Bloemfontein. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $193 – making Bloemfontein the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bloemfontein: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,071 per month in Almaty and $1,599 in Bloemfontein. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloemfontein, 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 $42.00 in Bloemfontein. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,381 in Almaty and $1,066 in Bloemfontein. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bloemfontein, where all-in costs run around $1,066, than in Almaty at $1,381. In Bloemfontein it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bloemfontein – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bloemfontein. 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.