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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,364 per month in Almaty vs $1,016 in Lima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,124 per month in Almaty vs $1,623 in Lima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,885 per month in Almaty vs $2,229 in Lima, rent included.

Almaty costs about 34% more than Lima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Almaty and Lima are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 1% lower, Lima 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.92 ₸5,880

$4.35 PEN 14.62

197.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.03 ₸20.5K

$32.17 PEN 108

39.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 ₸3,916

$7.03 PEN 23.64

22.48%

Cappuccino

$3.15 ₸1,431

$3.23 PEN 10.87

-2.48%

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

$1.33 ₸604

$1.13 PEN 3.80

17.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₸371

$0.62 PEN 2.08

32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ₸1,104

$2.68 PEN 9.02

-9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 ₸1,781

$4.53 PEN 15.23

-13.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₸749

$1.64 PEN 5.51

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₸367

$2.60 PEN 8.75

-68.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ₸948

$1.34 PEN 4.51

55.22%

Eggs

$2.30 ₸1,048

$3.05 PEN 10.27

-24.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 ₸5,563

$9.01 PEN 30.30

35.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 ₸3,028

$5.93 PEN 19.93

12.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 ₸4,881

$9.80 PEN 32.95

9.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₸842

$2.10 PEN 7.04

-11.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 ₸1,074

$1.05 PEN 3.54

124.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₸1,318

$1.45 PEN 4.88

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 ₸1,260

$1.50 PEN 5.04

84.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸342

$0.93 PEN 3.11

-19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₸260

$0.94 PEN 3.17

-39.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ₸726

$0.89 PEN 3.00

79.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₸441

$0.95 PEN 3.20

2.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₸1,171

$5.82 PEN 19.55

-55.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 ₸4,892

$9.02 PEN 30.34

19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₸533

$1.94 PEN 6.52

-39.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₸1,082

$3.23 PEN 10.85

-26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₸114

$0.69 PEN 2.31

-63.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.05 ₸9,576

$27.19 PEN 91.4

-22.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₸603

$3.90 PEN 13.11

-65.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₸287

$2.03 PEN 6.83

-68.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₸4,963

$7.45 PEN 25.04

46.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 ₸307

$1.71 PEN 5.77

-60.82%

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

$26.2K ₸11.9M

$22.2K PEN 74.6K

18.16%

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

$29.5K ₸13.4M

$26.7K PEN 89.9K

10.41%

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

$90.4 ₸41.1K

$71.1 PEN 239

27.25%

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

$10.95 ₸4,981

$16.93 PEN 56.9

-35.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.47 ₸7,947

$28.29 PEN 95.1

-38.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 ₸34.2K

$33.80 PEN 114

122.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.29 ₸13.3K

$19.96 PEN 67.1

46.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 ₸2,875

$7.23 PEN 24.29

-12.59%

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

$425 ₸193.5K

$181 PEN 607

135.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₸5.3M

$13.4K PEN 45.2K

-13.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 ₸39.4K

$54.0 PEN 182

60.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.71 ₸21.3K

$35.57 PEN 120

31.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 ₸63.3K

$85.9 PEN 289

62.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.3K

$81.0 PEN 272

63.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$791 ₸359.7K

$759 PEN 2,550

4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ₸226.4K

$346 PEN 1,165

43.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 ₸651.5K

$1,254 PEN 4,216

14.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$912 ₸415.1K

$646 PEN 2,171

41.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,446 ₸1.1M

$2,479 PEN 8,335

-1.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 ₸684.3K

$1,391 PEN 4,676

8.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$850 ₸386.5K

$669 PEN 2,248

27.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.61

8.94

130.54%

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

Last update for Almaty: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $791 in Almaty versus $759 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 27% 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 $32.00 in Lima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $230 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,046 per month in Almaty and $1,524 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 $45.00 in Almaty and $32.00 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 $1,364 in Almaty and $1,016 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 $1,016, than in Almaty at $1,364. 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.