Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Calamba

For one person, living is cheaper in Calamba: $518 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Calamba
🇵🇭 Philippines
$518
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Calamba

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $518 in Calamba, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,372
  • Calamba $518

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $764 in Calamba, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,142
  • Calamba $764

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,010 in Calamba, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,913
  • Calamba $1,010

Almaty costs about 165% more than Calamba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Calamba is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16 ₸5,949
$3.92 ₱247
235.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.86 ₸20.3K
$12.02 ₱757
273.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 ₸4,022
$2.82 ₱178
215.60%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ₸1,469
$1.79 ₱113
81.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 ₸639
$0.56 ₱35.44
151.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₸399
$0.33 ₱21.06
166.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 ₸1,513
$0.94 ₱59.5
256.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₸1,827
$1.55 ₱97.7
160.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₸762
$1.60 ₱101
5.62%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 ₸390
$1.11 ₱70.1
-22.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ₸917
$0.97 ₱61.0
109.28%
Eggs
$2.43 ₸1,100
$2.00 ₱126
21.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.46 ₸5,632
$5.20 ₱327
139.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,033
$3.40 ₱214
97.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,905
$7.80 ₱491
39.10%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₸813
$2.31 ₱145
-22.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,018
$1.54 ₱96.9
46.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ₸1,314
$2.40 ₱151
21.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 ₸1,243
$1.06 ₱66.9
159.43%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₸337
$1.73 ₱109
-56.65%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸248
$1.78 ₱112
-69.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸732
$0.61 ₱38.68
165.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₸474
$0.49 ₱31.10
114.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,167
$2.92 ₱184
-11.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,042
$8.87 ₱558
25.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸547
$0.96 ₱60.3
26.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₸1,104
$2.10 ₱132
16.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₸117
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.03 ₸9,957
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₸611
$0.82 ₱51.9
64.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$0.25 ₱15.75
156.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.16 ₸5,044
$1.88 ₱119
493.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸324
$0.93 ₱58.7
-22.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ₸10.2M
$21.1K ₱1.3M
6.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K ₸13.7M
$19.0K ₱1.2M
59.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.8 ₸41.5K
$139 ₱8,759
-34.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.66 ₸4,820
$17.36 ₱1,093
-38.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.86 ₸8,072
$23.85 ₱1,502
-25.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.3 ₸31.8K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.60 ₸12.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 ₸3,064
$5.04 ₱317
34.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$449 ₸202.9K
$130 ₱8,193
244.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K ₸5.5M
$10.6K ₱668.9K
13.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 ₸40.7K
$28.54 ₱1,797
215.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.02 ₸21.3K
$19.73 ₱1,242
138.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 ₸64.1K
$71.0 ₱4,468
99.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.0K
$55.3 ₱3,482
140.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 ₸363.7K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₸225.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₸645.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$904 ₸408.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,503 ₸1.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,559 ₸704.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Calamba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$870 ₸393.3K
$260 ₱16.4K
234.85%
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 10, 2026

Last update for Calamba: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$500
Calamba
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$250
Calamba
$175 30.3% $76
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Calamba
$73 64.5% $132
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Calamba
$79 57.6% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$120
Calamba
$180 49.9% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$84
Calamba
$10 * 88% $74
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Calamba
$2.1 * 92.5% $26

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 235% 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 $12.00 in Calamba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $175 – making Calamba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇵🇭 Calamba
🕒 Local time
04:46 4:46 AM
06:46 6:46 AM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
539,671
💱 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 Calamba 5,290 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Calamba

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 Calamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Calamba cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 165%, 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 $777 in Calamba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Almaty and in Calamba?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $518 in Calamba. That's a gap of about 165%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $449 per month in Almaty and $130 in Calamba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Calamba?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Calamba, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Calamba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Calamba more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Calamba – 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 Calamba?
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 Calamba. 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.

Almaty vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?