Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Karaganda Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Karaganda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,057 per month in Almaty vs $752 in Karaganda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,648 per month in Almaty vs $1,187 in Karaganda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,238 per month in Almaty vs $1,623 in Karaganda, rent included.

Almaty costs about 41% more than Karaganda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Almaty and Karaganda are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 21% lower, Karaganda 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 ₸3,934

$8.53 ₸4,180

-5.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.47 ₸18.9K

$29.67 ₸14.5K

29.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ₸3,416

$4.97 ₸2,437

40.24%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ₸1,174

$1.85 ₸907

29.73%

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

$0.98 ₸478

$0.70 ₸343

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₸277

$0.47 ₸228

21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ₸687

$0.95 ₸467

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₸1,464

$3.01 ₸1,473

-0.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ₸644

$0.94 ₸463

39.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₸293

$0.44 ₸215

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ₸756

$1.30 ₸638

18.46%

Eggs

$1.74 ₸852

$1.73 ₸845

0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 ₸4,773

$9.48 ₸4,644

2.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 ₸2,301

$4.24 ₸2,079

10.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₸3,678

$7.25 ₸3,555

3.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 ₸661

$1.32 ₸646

2.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₸970

$1.45 ₸711

36.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ₸957

$1.89 ₸929

3.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ₸1,014

$1.98 ₸971

4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₸308

$0.56 ₸273

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₸206

$0.41 ₸200

2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₸608

$0.99 ₸486

25.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₸346

$0.76 ₸372

-6.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 ₸965

$1.79 ₸878

10.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.09 ₸4,947

$7.87 ₸3,857

28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸433

$0.99 ₸487

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₸999

$1.65 ₸807

23.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸118

$0.22 ₸108

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 ₸8,701

$11.56 ₸5,666

53.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ₸567

$1.78 ₸872

-34.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₸343

$0.45 ₸222

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 ₸2,355

$4.38 ₸2,148

9.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 ₸240

$0.45 ₸219

8.89%

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

$23.2K ₸11.4M

$19.0K ₸9.3M

22.10%

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

$27.2K ₸13.4M

$25.1K ₸12.3M

8.53%

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

$63.8 ₸31.3K

$53.9 ₸26.4K

18.42%

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

$8.60 ₸4,213

$8.04 ₸3,941

6.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.83 ₸6,777

$13.00 ₸6,372

6.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 ₸23.9K

$32.29 ₸15.8K

50.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 ₸10.4K

$11.76 ₸5,764

80.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 ₸2,505

$4.47 ₸2,191

14.32%

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

$267 ₸130.8K

$240 ₸117.4K

11.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ₸6.3M

$4,875 ₸2.4M

163.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.0 ₸41.1K

$55.6 ₸27.2K

51.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₸21.3K

$35.64 ₸17.5K

22.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 ₸47.4K

$86.6 ₸42.5K

11.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₸58.5K

$83.9 ₸41.1K

42.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 ₸325.9K

$333 ₸163.0K

99.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ₸205.7K

$210 ₸102.9K

99.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ₸575.8K

$569 ₸279.0K

106.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₸378.9K

$400 ₸195.8K

93.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,143 ₸1.0M

$977 ₸478.5K

119.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,254 ₸614.6K

$653 ₸319.8K

92.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$789 ₸386.9K

$523 ₸256.2K

51.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

16.12

14.08%

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

Last update for Almaty: June 1, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $665 in Almaty versus $333 in Karaganda. 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 51% 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 $38.00 in Almaty versus $30.00 in Karaganda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $170 – making Karaganda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,586 per month in Almaty and $1,127 in Karaganda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karaganda, 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 $38.00 in Almaty and $30.00 in Karaganda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,057 in Almaty and $752 in Karaganda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaganda, where all-in costs run around $752, than in Almaty at $1,057. In Karaganda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karaganda – 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 Karaganda. 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.