Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Kota Bharu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kota Bharu: $692 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Kota Bharu
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Kota Bharu Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Kota Bharu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Kota Bharu

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $692 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Kota Bharu $692

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,072 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Kota Bharu $1,072

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,452 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Kota Bharu $1,452

Almaty costs about 98% more than Kota Bharu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Kota Bharu is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$2.18 MYR 8.90

503.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$19.41 MYR 79.2

131.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$4.58 MYR 18.70

94.32%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$2.18 MYR 8.89

49.08%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$0.48 MYR 1.94

193.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.26 MYR 1.05

238.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$4.24 MYR 17.29

-20.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$4.49 MYR 18.33

-10.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$1.62 MYR 6.62

4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$0.92 MYR 3.74

-6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$0.83 MYR 3.39

144.58%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$1.61 MYR 6.58

50.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$13.74 MYR 56.1

-9.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$2.94 MYR 12.00

128.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$6.65 MYR 27.13

63.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$2.91 MYR 11.88

-38.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.50 MYR 6.12

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$2.73 MYR 11.15

6.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$1.13 MYR 4.60

143.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$0.97 MYR 3.94

-22.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$1.12 MYR 4.59

-50.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$1.14 MYR 4.64

42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$0.45 MYR 1.84

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$3.34 MYR 13.61

-22.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$19.00 MYR 77.5

-41.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$2.91 MYR 11.88

-58.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$5.32 MYR 21.71

-54.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.77 MYR 3.12

-66.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$12.33 MYR 50.3

78.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-21.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.37 MYR 1.53

72.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$3.69 MYR 15.04

202.44%

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

$31.5K MYR 128.5K

-28.47%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$29.0K MYR 118.2K

4.50%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$37.43 MYR 153

145.28%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$8.65 MYR 35.27

23.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$25.39 MYR 104

-29.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$49.63 MYR 202

41.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$4.48 MYR 18.26

51.34%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$125 MYR 508

260.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

11.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$54.5 MYR 222

65.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$19.29 MYR 78.7

143.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$79.0 MYR 322

79.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$69.6 MYR 284

90.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$248 MYR 1,010

224.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$122 MYR 499

308.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$673 MYR 2,745

112.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$224 MYR 913

304.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$299 MYR 1,221

190.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

4.04

411.14%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Kota Bharu

$122 17.7% 75.5% $377

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Kota Bharu

$230 33.2% 8.3% $21

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Kota Bharu

$90 13.1% 55.9% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Kota Bharu

$100 14.5% 46% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Kota Bharu

$71 10.3% 40.6% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Kota Bharu

$59 8.5% 30.2% $25

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Kota Bharu

$19 2.8% 31.2% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $248 in Kota Bharu. 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 191% 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 $45.00 in Almaty versus $19.00 in Kota Bharu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $230 – making Kota Bharu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇲🇾 Kota Bharu

🕒 Local time

07:35 7:35 AM

09:35 9:35 AM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

568,900

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

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).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Almaty Kota Bharu 4,810 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Kota Bharu

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 Kota Bharu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 98%, 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 $1,037 in Kota Bharu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kota Bharu, 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 $19.00 in Kota Bharu. 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 $692 in Kota Bharu. That's a gap of about 98%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kota Bharu, where all-in costs run around $692, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Kota Bharu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kota Bharu – 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 Kota Bharu. 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.