Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Kuching

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuching: $887 a month against $1,387 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Kuching
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Kuching Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,387

/mo nomad

Kuching

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$887

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Kuching

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

A single person spends $1,387 per month in Almaty vs $887 in Kuching, rent included.

Almaty $1,387
Kuching $887

A couple spends around $2,135 per month in Almaty vs $1,389 in Kuching, rent included.

Almaty $2,135
Kuching $1,389

A family of three spends $2,883 per month in Almaty vs $1,892 in Kuching, rent included.

Almaty $2,883
Kuching $1,892

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

Almaty sits 3% above the global median, while Kuching is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.31 ₸6,034

$3.33 MYR 13.60

299.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 ₸19.7K

$24.53 MYR 100

76.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 ₸3,988

$4.87 MYR 19.89

80.70%

Cappuccino

$3.30 ₸1,497

$3.17 MYR 12.93

4.10%

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

$1.37 ₸620

$0.74 MYR 3.04

85.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₸409

$0.36 MYR 1.47

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 ₸1,419

$4.51 MYR 18.43

-30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ₸1,860

$6.16 MYR 25.15

-33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ₸754

$2.31 MYR 9.42

-28.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₸406

$1.26 MYR 5.16

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 ₸933

$1.15 MYR 4.68

79.13%

Eggs

$2.37 ₸1,074

$2.46 MYR 10.03

-3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 ₸5,730

$10.95 MYR 44.72

15.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ₸3,000

$4.45 MYR 18.17

48.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 ₸4,928

$9.90 MYR 40.42

9.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₸845

$3.17 MYR 12.93

-41.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ₸1,075

$1.37 MYR 5.59

72.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 ₸1,358

$2.40 MYR 9.80

24.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.83 ₸1,282

$1.82 MYR 7.42

55.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ₸347

$1.41 MYR 5.75

-45.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₸264

$1.19 MYR 4.86

-51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 ₸723

$1.56 MYR 6.35

1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₸449

$0.54 MYR 2.22

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ₸1,153

$4.51 MYR 18.41

-43.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 ₸5,005

$21.59 MYR 88.2

-48.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸550

$4.06 MYR 16.58

-70.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₸1,093

$5.19 MYR 21.19

-53.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₸113

$0.58 MYR 2.37

-56.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.84 ₸9,901

$12.36 MYR 50.5

76.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₸581

$1.00 MYR 4.09

28.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸291

$1.24 MYR 5.06

-48.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.74 ₸4,870

$8.32 MYR 33.99

29.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 ₸314

$0.90 MYR 3.68

-23.33%

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

$22.3K ₸10.1M

$40.9K MYR 167.2K

-45.61%

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

$29.3K ₸13.3M

$36.1K MYR 147.4K

-18.75%

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

$87.8 ₸39.8K

$35.18 MYR 144

149.46%

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

$10.83 ₸4,909

$9.95 MYR 40.63

8.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ₸7,887

$25.26 MYR 103

-31.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ₸31.6K

$30.24 MYR 123

130.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.58 ₸12.1K

$12.38 MYR 50.6

114.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 ₸3,031

$4.83 MYR 19.72

38.30%

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

$446 ₸202.2K

$135 MYR 551

230.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₸5.4M

$7,000 MYR 28.6K

69.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.7 ₸42.5K

$63.3 MYR 258

48.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.91 ₸21.3K

$37.67 MYR 154

24.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 ₸64.7K

$90.2 MYR 368

58.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.5K

$65.8 MYR 269

102.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₸350.6K

$360 MYR 1,471

114.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 ₸225.5K

$245 MYR 1,001

102.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 ₸630.4K

$647 MYR 2,642

114.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$880 ₸398.9K

$478 MYR 1,953

83.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,546 ₸1.2M

$2,073 MYR 8,464

22.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,506 ₸683.0K

$1,508 MYR 6,157

-0.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 ₸377.9K

$530 MYR 2,165

57.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

4.37

372.54%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kuching: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$497 36.4%

Kuching

$245 27.8% 50.7% $252

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$251 18.4%

Kuching

$271 30.7% 7.8% $20

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 15%

Kuching

$119 13.4% 42.3% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$188 13.7%

Kuching

$116 13.1% 38.4% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$116 8.5%

Kuching

$70 8% 39.3% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$83 6.1%

Kuching

$40 4.5% 52% $43

Getting Around

Almaty

$27 2%

Kuching

$22 2.5% 20% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Almaty versus $360 in Kuching. 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 57% 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 $43.00 in Almaty versus $25.00 in Kuching. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Almaty vs $271 in Kuching – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇲🇾 Kuching

🕒 Local time

12:16 12:16 PM

14:16 2:16 PM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

349,147

💱 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 453 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 509 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.58 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Almaty Kuching 5,690 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Kuching

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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 56%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,080 per month in Almaty and $1,331 in Kuching. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuching, 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 $43.00 in Almaty and $25.00 in Kuching. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,387 in Almaty and $887 in Kuching. That's a gap of about 56%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuching, where all-in costs run around $887, than in Almaty at $1,387. In Kuching it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuching – 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 Kuching. 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.