Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Lima Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Lima

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,057 per month in Almaty vs $985 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,648 per month in Almaty vs $1,537 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,238 per month in Almaty vs $2,089 in Lima, rent included.

Almaty costs about 7% more than Lima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Almaty and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 21% lower, Lima 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 ₸3,911

$4.11 PEN 13.98

95.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.47 ₸18.7K

$32.93 PEN 112

16.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ₸3,396

$7.00 PEN 23.81

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ₸1,167

$2.54 PEN 8.64

-5.51%

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

$0.98 ₸475

$0.92 PEN 3.14

6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₸276

$0.61 PEN 2.06

-6.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ₸683

$2.24 PEN 7.62

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₸1,455

$3.84 PEN 13.08

-22.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ₸640

$1.41 PEN 4.79

-7.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₸291

$2.73 PEN 9.30

-78.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 ₸751

$1.30 PEN 4.44

18.46%

Eggs

$1.74 ₸847

$2.96 PEN 10.07

-41.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 ₸4,744

$7.97 PEN 27.12

22.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 ₸2,288

$5.67 PEN 19.31

-17.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 ₸3,656

$10.58 PEN 36.01

-29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 ₸657

$2.02 PEN 6.88

-33.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₸964

$1.07 PEN 3.66

85.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ₸951

$1.13 PEN 3.86

72.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ₸1,008

$1.25 PEN 4.26

65.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₸306

$1.03 PEN 3.52

-38.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₸205

$0.96 PEN 3.25

-56.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₸604

$0.87 PEN 2.96

42.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₸344

$0.88 PEN 3.00

-19.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 ₸960

$5.46 PEN 18.58

-63.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.09 ₸4,917

$8.98 PEN 30.55

12.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸431

$1.75 PEN 5.96

-49.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₸993

$3.08 PEN 10.48

-33.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸117

$0.67 PEN 2.26

-64.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.76 ₸8,649

$30.61 PEN 104

-41.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ₸564

$3.38 PEN 11.51

-65.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₸341

$2.21 PEN 7.53

-68.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 ₸2,341

$8.22 PEN 27.97

-41.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 ₸238

$1.35 PEN 4.60

-63.70%

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

$23.2K ₸11.3M

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

20.16%

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

$27.2K ₸13.3M

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

12.05%

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

$63.8 ₸31.1K

$56.7 PEN 193

12.56%

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

$8.60 ₸4,188

$12.64 PEN 43.01

-31.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.83 ₸6,737

$24.00 PEN 81.7

-42.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 ₸23.7K

$30.10 PEN 102

61.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 ₸10.3K

$18.95 PEN 64.5

12.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 ₸2,490

$6.74 PEN 22.92

-24.18%

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

$267 ₸130.0K

$218 PEN 740

22.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ₸6.3M

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

62.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.0 ₸40.9K

$49.95 PEN 170

68.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₸21.2K

$36.59 PEN 125

18.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 ₸47.2K

$89.7 PEN 305

7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ₸58.2K

$88.1 PEN 300

35.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 ₸324.0K

$606 PEN 2,063

9.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ₸204.4K

$350 PEN 1,190

20.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ₸572.4K

$1,036 PEN 3,525

13.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 ₸376.7K

$628 PEN 2,136

23.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,143 ₸1.0M

$2,367 PEN 8,056

-9.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,254 ₸610.9K

$1,434 PEN 4,881

-12.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$789 ₸384.6K

$626 PEN 2,131

26.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

10.11

81.90%

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

Last update for Almaty: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $665 in Almaty versus $606 in Lima. 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 26% 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 $33.00 in Lima. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Almaty vs $222 in Lima – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Lima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,477 in Lima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lima, 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 $33.00 in Lima. 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 $985 in Lima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $985, than in Almaty at $1,057. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lima – 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 Lima. 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.