Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Cotonou Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Cotonou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in Almaty vs $978 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,679 per month in Almaty vs $1,407 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,291 per month in Almaty vs $1,835 in Cotonou, rent included.

Almaty costs about 9% more than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Almaty and Cotonou are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 20% lower, Cotonou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 ₸3,660

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

128.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.67 ₸18.3K

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

47.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ₸3,081

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

27.10%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ₸1,116

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

-56.34%

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

$0.95 ₸440

$0.86 F CFA 483

10.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₸264

$0.78 F CFA 435

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₸652

$1.45 F CFA 814

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₸1,334

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

-17.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₸586

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

-52.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₸251

$1.38 F CFA 774

-60.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ₸686

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

-20.00%

Eggs

$1.71 ₸793

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

-21.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 ₸4,449

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

4.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 ₸2,060

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

-9.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 ₸3,526

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

48.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₸619

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

-65.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₸878

$1.37 F CFA 771

38.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸874

$1.27 F CFA 710

48.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ₸926

$1.77 F CFA 991

12.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₸272

$1.41 F CFA 789

-58.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₸195

$1.45 F CFA 811

-71.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₸601

$0.48 F CFA 267

170.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₸323

$1.28 F CFA 718

-45.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ₸915

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

-15.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 ₸3,912

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

29.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₸386

$1.24 F CFA 698

-32.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₸989

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

-6.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₸102

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

-87.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.79 ₸8,226

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₸526

$1.44 F CFA 810

-20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₸308

$1.26 F CFA 705

-46.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ₸2,122

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

156.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 ₸225

$1.06 F CFA 595

-53.77%

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

$23.2K ₸10.7M

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

$27.5K ₸12.7M

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

13.08%

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

$62.4 ₸28.8K

$269 F CFA 150.9K

-76.82%

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

$9.01 ₸4,166

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

-79.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.41 ₸6,201

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

-75.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.68 ₸22.0K

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

-19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 ₸10.1K

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

300.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 ₸2,366

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

-32.01%

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

$261 ₸120.9K

$189 F CFA 106.1K

38.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₸5.8M

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

93.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 ₸39.7K

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

388.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 ₸20.4K

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

409.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₸45.1K

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

979.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₸55.6K

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

144.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₸302.1K

$202 F CFA 113.3K

223.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₸192.6K

$149 F CFA 83.6K

179.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 ₸549.5K

$577 F CFA 323.7K

105.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₸348.3K

$285 F CFA 159.7K

164.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,151 ₸994.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 ₸609.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$816 ₸377.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

267.80%

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

Last update for Almaty: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $653 in Almaty versus $202 in Cotonou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Almaty versus $27.00 in Cotonou. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Almaty vs $214 in Cotonou – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,602 per month in Almaty and $1,467 in Cotonou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cotonou, 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 $1,068 in Almaty and $978 in Cotonou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $261 per month in Almaty and $189 in Cotonou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cotonou, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Almaty at $1,068. In Cotonou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cotonou – 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 Cotonou. 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.