Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Kemaman

For one person, living is cheaper in Kemaman: $877 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Kemaman
🇲🇾 Malaysia
$877
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Kemaman

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $877 in Kemaman, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,372
  • Kemaman $877

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,352 in Kemaman, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,142
  • Kemaman $1,352

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,827 in Kemaman, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,913
  • Kemaman $1,827

Almaty costs about 56% more than Kemaman, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Kemaman is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16 ₸5,949
$2.62 MYR 10.70
402.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.86 ₸20.3K
$14.65 MYR 59.8
206.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 ₸4,022
$4.38 MYR 17.89
103.20%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ₸1,469
$3.01 MYR 12.29
7.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 ₸639
$0.51 MYR 2.08
176.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₸399
$0.35 MYR 1.44
151.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 ₸1,513
$3.21 MYR 13.10
4.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₸1,827
$5.79 MYR 23.61
-30.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₸762
$1.89 MYR 7.70
-10.58%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 ₸390
$1.01 MYR 4.14
-14.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ₸917
$0.96 MYR 3.92
111.46%
Eggs
$2.43 ₸1,100
$1.14 MYR 4.64
113.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.46 ₸5,632
$9.82 MYR 40.04
26.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,033
$3.28 MYR 13.39
104.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,905
$9.63 MYR 39.27
12.67%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₸813
$3.53 MYR 14.41
-49.01%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,018
$1.88 MYR 7.66
19.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ₸1,314
$2.66 MYR 10.86
9.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 ₸1,243
$1.73 MYR 7.05
58.96%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₸337
$2.15 MYR 8.78
-65.12%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸248
$2.02 MYR 8.23
-72.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸732
$1.43 MYR 5.82
13.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₸474
$0.48 MYR 1.95
118.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,167
$4.66 MYR 18.99
-44.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,042
$19.79 MYR 80.8
-43.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸547
$2.72 MYR 11.08
-55.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₸1,104
$4.61 MYR 18.79
-47.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₸117
$0.73 MYR 2.98
-64.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.03 ₸9,957
$12.09 MYR 49.32
82.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₸611
$1.23 MYR 5.02
9.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$0.38 MYR 1.56
68.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.16 ₸5,044
$8.88 MYR 36.22
25.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸324
$0.52 MYR 2.14
38.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ₸10.2M
$42.1K MYR 171.6K
-46.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K ₸13.7M
$32.9K MYR 134.4K
-8.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.8 ₸41.5K
$48.98 MYR 200
87.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.66 ₸4,820
$8.30 MYR 33.87
28.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.86 ₸8,072
$27.03 MYR 110
-33.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.3 ₸31.8K
$41.79 MYR 170
68.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.60 ₸12.5K
$7.05 MYR 28.75
291.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 ₸3,064
$4.87 MYR 19.88
39.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$449 ₸202.9K
$124 MYR 507
261.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K ₸5.5M
$10.4K MYR 42.5K
16.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 ₸40.7K
$51.5 MYR 210
74.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.02 ₸21.3K
$30.07 MYR 123
56.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 ₸64.1K
$76.7 MYR 313
84.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.0K
$85.5 MYR 349
55.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 ₸363.7K
$450 MYR 1,837
78.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₸225.9K
$267 MYR 1,090
86.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₸645.9K
$772 MYR 3,148
85.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$904 ₸408.8K
$532 MYR 2,169
70.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,503 ₸1.1M
$1,748 MYR 7,129
43.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,559 ₸704.7K
$1,220 MYR 4,978
27.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Kemaman
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$870 ₸393.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
4.51
357.87%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$500
Kemaman
$267 46.5% $232
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$250
Kemaman
$245 2.3% $5.6
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Kemaman
$101 50.6% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Kemaman
$110 40.8% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$120
Kemaman
$84 29.9% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$84
Kemaman
$52 38.6% $32
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Kemaman
$18 34.2% $9.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $450 in Kemaman. 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 $15.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $245 – making Kemaman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇲🇾 Kemaman
🕒 Local time
10:02 10:02 AM
12:02 12:02 PM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
215,582
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Kemaman 5,060 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Kemaman

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 Kemaman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kemaman cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 56%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,315 in Kemaman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kemaman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Almaty or in Kemaman?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $15.00 in Kemaman. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Almaty and in Kemaman?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $877 in Kemaman. That's a gap of about 56%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Kemaman?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Kemaman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Kemaman more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kemaman – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Almaty or Kemaman?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kemaman. 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.

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