Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Hsinchu

For one person, living is cheaper in Hsinchu: $1,154 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Almaty outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Hsinchu
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Hsinchu Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Hsinchu

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,154

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Hsinchu

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $1,154 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Hsinchu $1,154

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,937 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Hsinchu $1,937

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $2,719 in Hsinchu, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Hsinchu $2,719

Almaty costs about 19% more than Hsinchu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Hsinchu is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$3.66 NT$119

259.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$28.02 NT$909

60.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$4.64 NT$151

91.81%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$2.95 NT$95.7

10.17%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$0.97 NT$31.52

45.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.66 NT$21.26

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$1.83 NT$59.2

83.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$2.26 NT$73.2

78.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$2.78 NT$90.1

-39.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$1.65 NT$53.5

-47.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$4.61 NT$150

-55.97%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$2.75 NT$89.3

-11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$36.03 NT$1,168

-65.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$6.69 NT$217

0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$21.15 NT$686

-48.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$2.60 NT$84.2

-30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$2.57 NT$83.4

-12.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$3.32 NT$108

-12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$3.00 NT$97.3

-8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$2.30 NT$74.4

-67.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$2.29 NT$74.2

-75.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$2.02 NT$65.4

-19.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$1.36 NT$44.08

-22.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$4.00 NT$130

-35.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$12.55 NT$407

-11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$1.93 NT$62.5

-37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$2.40 NT$77.8

1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.61 NT$19.78

-57.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$40.83 NT$1,324

-46.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$3.09 NT$100

-56.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.30 NT$9.63

113.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$10.04 NT$325

11.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$1.00 NT$32.34

-28.00%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$33.8K NT$1.1M

-33.37%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$26.4K NT$857.3K

14.50%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$103 NT$3,337

-10.78%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$18.95 NT$614

-43.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$20.99 NT$681

-14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$50.8 NT$1,649

38.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$10.21 NT$331

-33.59%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$750 NT$24.3K

-40.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$16.4K NT$533.0K

-26.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$56.9 NT$1,846

58.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$35.65 NT$1,156

31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$79.5 NT$2,579

78.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$106 NT$3,449

24.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$440 NT$14.3K

83.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$257 NT$8,335

94.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$1,141 NT$37.0K

25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$755 NT$24.5K

19.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$8,071 NT$261.7K

-68.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$6,095 NT$197.6K

-74.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$2,506 NT$81.3K

-65.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

2.13

869.48%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Hsinchu: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Hsinchu

$257 22.3% 48.6% $243

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Hsinchu

$411 35.6% 64.1% $160

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Hsinchu

$99 8.6% 51.8% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Hsinchu

$125 10.9% 32.3% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Hsinchu

$143 12.4% 18.7% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Hsinchu

$71 6.2% 15% $13

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Hsinchu

$48 4.2% 73.3% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $440 in Hsinchu. 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 188% higher in Hsinchu, 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 $28.00 in Hsinchu. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Almaty vs $411 in Hsinchu – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇹🇼 Hsinchu

🕒 Local time

17:00 5:00 PM

19:00 7:00 PM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

453,120

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

100 TWD = 3.08 USD

100 TWD = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Almaty Hsinchu 4,480 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Hsinchu

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 Hsinchu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,731 in Hsinchu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hsinchu, 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 $28.00 in Hsinchu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $1,154 in Hsinchu. That's a gap of about 19%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hsinchu, where all-in costs run around $1,154, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Hsinchu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hsinchu – 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 Hsinchu. 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.