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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,079 per month in Almaty vs $969 in Cotonou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Almaty vs $1,393 in Cotonou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,306 per month in Almaty vs $1,816 in Cotonou, rent included.

Almaty costs about 11% more than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Almaty and Cotonou are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 19% lower, Cotonou 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 ₸3,849

$3.57 F CFA 2,017

121.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.52 ₸18.8K

$26.18 F CFA 14.8K

47.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 ₸3,255

$5.41 F CFA 3,053

23.48%

Cappuccino

$2.30 ₸1,119

$5.62 F CFA 3,171

-59.07%

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

$0.98 ₸480

$0.92 F CFA 522

6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₸262

$0.72 F CFA 404

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ₸682

$1.43 F CFA 809

-2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ₸1,470

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

-14.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ₸640

$2.66 F CFA 1,504

-50.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₸271

$1.42 F CFA 803

-60.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 ₸718

$1.92 F CFA 1,086

-23.44%

Eggs

$1.77 ₸865

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

-20.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 ₸4,674

$9.36 F CFA 5,284

2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 ₸2,258

$4.85 F CFA 2,737

-4.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ₸3,702

$4.96 F CFA 2,797

53.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 ₸660

$4.02 F CFA 2,269

-66.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₸915

$1.44 F CFA 815

30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₸910

$1.26 F CFA 709

48.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ₸983

$1.82 F CFA 1,028

10.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 ₸304

$1.34 F CFA 756

-53.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₸208

$1.48 F CFA 837

-70.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 ₸625

$0.48 F CFA 270

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₸365

$1.23 F CFA 693

-39.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 ₸926

$2.32 F CFA 1,307

-18.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 ₸5,061

$4.53 F CFA 2,556

129.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₸402

$1.24 F CFA 701

-33.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₸1,011

$2.21 F CFA 1,249

-6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸117

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

-86.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.32 ₸8,932

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₸579

$1.38 F CFA 778

-13.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₸353

$1.31 F CFA 737

-45.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 ₸2,300

$1.72 F CFA 970

174.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 ₸235

$1.11 F CFA 626

-56.76%

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

$23.3K ₸11.4M

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

$27.3K ₸13.3M

$24.4K F CFA 13.8M

11.80%

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

$62.9 ₸30.7K

$269 F CFA 152.0K

-76.63%

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

$8.86 ₸4,323

$44.74 F CFA 25.3K

-80.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.55 ₸6,607

$56.0 F CFA 31.6K

-75.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.77 ₸23.3K

$60.0 F CFA 33.9K

-20.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 ₸10.4K

$5.40 F CFA 3,046

293.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.35 ₸2,607

$7.72 F CFA 4,356

-30.70%

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

$266 ₸129.7K

$190 F CFA 107.3K

39.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ₸6.4M

$6,481 F CFA 3.7M

101.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 ₸41.9K

$17.36 F CFA 9,797

394.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 ₸21.4K

$9.01 F CFA 5,087

386.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₸48.9K

$8.61 F CFA 4,862

1063.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₸57.8K

$47.92 F CFA 27.0K

147.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 ₸314.0K

$200 F CFA 113.0K

221.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ₸200.1K

$148 F CFA 83.8K

176.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 ₸581.0K

$584 F CFA 329.4K

104.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 ₸368.7K

$283 F CFA 159.7K

167.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,179 ₸1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,283 ₸625.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$775 ₸377.9K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $644 in Almaty versus $200 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 $39.00 in Almaty versus $26.00 in Cotonou. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Almaty vs $211 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 11%, 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 $1,618 per month in Almaty and $1,454 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 $1,079 in Almaty and $969 in Cotonou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $266 per month in Almaty and $190 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 $969, than in Almaty at $1,079. 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.