Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Marawi

For one person, living is cheaper in Marawi: $727 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Marawi
🇵🇭 Philippines
$727
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Marawi

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $727 in Marawi, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,372
  • Marawi $727

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,104 in Marawi, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,142
  • Marawi $1,104

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,481 in Marawi, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,913
  • Marawi $1,481

Almaty costs about 89% more than Marawi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Marawi is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16 ₸5,949
$3.97 ₱250
231.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.86 ₸20.3K
$16.84 ₱1,061
166.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 ₸4,022
$2.72 ₱172
227.21%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ₸1,469
$2.20 ₱139
47.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 ₸639
$0.61 ₱38.67
131.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₸399
$0.33 ₱21.04
166.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 ₸1,513
$1.07 ₱67.2
213.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₸1,827
$2.11 ₱133
91.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₸762
$1.60 ₱101
5.62%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 ₸390
$1.10 ₱69.2
-21.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ₸917
$0.97 ₱60.8
109.28%
Eggs
$2.43 ₸1,100
$1.97 ₱124
23.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.46 ₸5,632
$5.45 ₱343
128.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,033
$4.19 ₱264
60.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,905
$6.88 ₱434
57.70%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₸813
$2.46 ₱155
-26.83%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,018
$1.61 ₱102
39.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ₸1,314
$2.41 ₱152
20.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 ₸1,243
$1.13 ₱71.2
143.36%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₸337
$1.93 ₱121
-61.14%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸248
$2.03 ₱128
-72.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸732
$0.92 ₱57.9
76.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₸474
$0.58 ₱36.34
81.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,167
$2.60 ₱164
-0.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,042
$7.71 ₱486
44.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸547
$1.04 ₱65.8
16.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₸1,104
$1.97 ₱124
23.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₸117
$0.22 ₱13.78
18.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.03 ₸9,957
$12.71 ₱801
73.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₸611
$0.74 ₱46.67
82.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$0.24 ₱15.04
166.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.16 ₸5,044
$2.15 ₱136
419.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸324
$1.19 ₱74.8
-39.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ₸10.2M
$20.6K ₱1.3M
9.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K ₸13.7M
$19.0K ₱1.2M
59.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.8 ₸41.5K
$119 ₱7,469
-22.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.66 ₸4,820
$17.08 ₱1,076
-37.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.86 ₸8,072
$24.37 ₱1,535
-26.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.3 ₸31.8K
$30.56 ₱1,925
130.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.60 ₸12.5K
$4.56 ₱287
505.26%
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 ₸3,064
$4.55 ₱286
49.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$449 ₸202.9K
$132 ₱8,343
238.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K ₸5.5M
$7,903 ₱497.8K
53.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 ₸40.7K
$32.59 ₱2,053
175.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.02 ₸21.3K
$19.71 ₱1,241
138.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 ₸64.1K
$70.5 ₱4,439
101.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.0K
$54.8 ₱3,454
142.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 ₸363.7K
$272 ₱17.1K
196.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₸225.9K
$173 ₱10.9K
188.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₸645.9K
$514 ₱32.4K
178.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$904 ₸408.8K
$348 ₱21.9K
159.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,503 ₸1.1M
$2,286 ₱144.0K
9.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,559 ₸704.7K
$989 ₱62.3K
57.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Marawi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$870 ₸393.3K
$289 ₱18.2K
201.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
6.79
204.12%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Marawi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$500
Marawi
$173 65.4% $327
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$250
Marawi
$179 28.5% $71
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Marawi
$80 61.1% $125
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Marawi
$80 56.8% $105
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$120
Marawi
$160 33% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$84
Marawi
$40 52.7% $44
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Marawi
$16 43.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $272 in Marawi. 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 201% 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 $17.00 in Marawi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $179 – making Marawi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇵🇭 Marawi
🕒 Local time
04:46 4:46 AM
06:46 6:46 AM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
207,010
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.82 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Marawi 6,030 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Marawi

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 Marawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Marawi cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,090 in Marawi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Marawi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Almaty or in Marawi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $17.00 in Marawi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Almaty and in Marawi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $727 in Marawi. That's a gap of about 89%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Marawi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Marawi, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Marawi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Marawi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Marawi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Marawi. 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.

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