Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Kuantan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuantan: $839 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 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
41

Cost of Living Index in Kuantan
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Kuantan Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Kuantan

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$839

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Kuantan

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $839 in Kuantan, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Kuantan $839

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,219 in Kuantan, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Kuantan $1,219

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,599 in Kuantan, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Kuantan $1,599

Almaty costs about 63% more than Kuantan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Kuantan is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$2.49 MYR 10.18

428.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$12.00 MYR 48.96

273.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$3.63 MYR 14.83

145.18%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$2.88 MYR 11.73

12.85%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$0.71 MYR 2.89

98.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.45 MYR 1.82

95.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$2.80 MYR 11.43

19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$5.73 MYR 23.37

-29.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$1.60 MYR 6.52

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$0.82 MYR 3.35

4.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$1.47 MYR 5.98

38.10%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$1.31 MYR 5.34

85.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$9.51 MYR 38.79

31.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$3.28 MYR 13.36

104.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$4.42 MYR 18.04

145.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$3.03 MYR 12.35

-40.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.93 MYR 7.87

16.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$2.73 MYR 11.12

6.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$1.75 MYR 7.14

57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$1.72 MYR 7.03

-56.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$1.94 MYR 7.93

-71.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$0.76 MYR 3.12

113.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$0.56 MYR 2.28

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$4.38 MYR 17.85

-41.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$19.95 MYR 81.4

-44.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$1.99 MYR 8.13

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$1.92 MYR 7.81

27.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$12.15 MYR 49.55

81.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$1.13 MYR 4.61

19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.35 MYR 1.45

82.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$9.05 MYR 36.92

23.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$0.52 MYR 2.13

38.46%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

-33.96%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$33.1K MYR 134.9K

-8.49%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$49.82 MYR 203

84.28%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$8.06 MYR 32.86

32.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$24.16 MYR 98.6

-26.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$39.79 MYR 162

76.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

$6.83 MYR 27.87

304.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$4.65 MYR 18.98

45.81%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$280 MYR 1,142

60.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$10.2K MYR 41.8K

18.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$52.4 MYR 214

71.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$30.29 MYR 124

55.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$49.62 MYR 202

185.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$48.89 MYR 199

171.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$411 MYR 1,675

95.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$302 MYR 1,232

65.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$692 MYR 2,822

106.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$476 MYR 1,943

89.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$2,015 MYR 8,220

24.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$1,090 MYR 4,448

42.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$975 MYR 3,976

-10.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

4.15

397.59%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Kuantan

$302 36% 39.6% $198

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Kuantan

$212 25.3% 15.2% $38

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Kuantan

$95 11.4% 53.4% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Kuantan

$82 9.7% 56% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Kuantan

$82 9.8% 31.8% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Kuantan

$49 5.9% 41.5% $35

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Kuantan

$17 2% 38.2% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $411 in Kuantan. 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 12% higher in Kuantan, 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 $12.00 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $212 – making Kuantan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇲🇾 Kuantan

🕒 Local time

05:21 5:21 AM

07:21 7:21 AM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

548,014

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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 Kuantan 5,100 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Kuantan

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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 63%, 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 $1,259 in Kuantan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuantan, 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 $12.00 in Kuantan. 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 $839 in Kuantan. That's a gap of about 63%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuantan – 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 Kuantan. 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.