Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Island Garden City of Samal

For one person, living is cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal: $747 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Island Garden City of Samal
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Island Garden City of Samal Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Island Garden City of Samal

🇵🇭 Philippines

$747

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Island Garden City of Samal

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 Island Garden City of Samal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $747 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Island Garden City of Samal $747

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,102 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Island Garden City of Samal $1,102

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,457 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Island Garden City of Samal $1,457

Almaty costs about 84% more than Island Garden City of Samal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Island Garden City of Samal is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$1.22 ₱76.6

978.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$17.02 ₱1,072

163.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$4.07 ₱256

118.67%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$2.18 ₱137

49.08%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$1.04 ₱65.7

35.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.64 ₱40.33

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$1.18 ₱74.5

183.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$1.98 ₱125

104.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$2.03 ₱128

-16.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$1.14 ₱71.5

-24.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$0.88 ₱55.2

130.68%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$1.87 ₱118

29.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$6.26 ₱394

99.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$4.64 ₱292

44.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$9.10 ₱573

19.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$2.73 ₱172

-34.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.12 ₱70.4

100.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$2.38 ₱150

22.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$1.14 ₱71.7

141.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$1.98 ₱125

-62.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$3.41 ₱215

-83.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$1.21 ₱76.0

33.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$0.72 ₱45.46

45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$2.49 ₱156

3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$7.76 ₱489

43.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$1.23 ₱77.5

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$1.68 ₱106

45.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.29 ₱18.09

-10.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$11.62 ₱732

89.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$0.83 ₱52.0

62.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.25 ₱15.83

156.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$1.92 ₱121

481.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$1.24 ₱78.0

-41.94%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$21.2K ₱1.3M

6.22%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$18.9K ₱1.2M

60.42%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$98.4 ₱6,196

-6.71%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$19.24 ₱1,211

-44.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$31.01 ₱1,952

-42.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$29.89 ₱1,882

135.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

$4.57 ₱288

503.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$4.87 ₱307

39.22%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$107 ₱6,729

319.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$7,691 ₱484.2K

57.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$33.60 ₱2,115

167.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$19.67 ₱1,238

139.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$70.4 ₱4,433

101.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$62.4 ₱3,929

112.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$250 ₱15.7K

222.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$197 ₱12.4K

154.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$504 ₱31.7K

183.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$315 ₱19.8K

187.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$2,056 ₱129.4K

21.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$1,083 ₱68.2K

44.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

8.31

148.50%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Island Garden City of Samal

$197 26.3% 60.6% $303

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Island Garden City of Samal

$199 26.6% 20.6% $52

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Island Garden City of Samal

$65 8.7% 68.4% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Island Garden City of Samal

$84 11.2% 54.8% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Island Garden City of Samal

$149 19.9% 23.5% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Island Garden City of Samal

$40 5.3% 52.8% $44

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Island Garden City of Samal

$15 2% 46.2% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $250 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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 $45.00 in Almaty versus $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $199 – making Island Garden City of Samal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇵🇭 Island Garden City of Samal

🕒 Local time

03:31 3:31 AM

05:31 5:31 AM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

116,771

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

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).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Almaty Island Garden City of Samal 6,210 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Island Garden City of Samal

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 Island Garden City of Samal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 84%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,121 in Island Garden City of Samal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal, 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 $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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 $747 in Island Garden City of Samal. That's a gap of about 84%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Island Garden City of Samal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Island Garden City of Samal – 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 Island Garden City of Samal. 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.