Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Oral Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Oral

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,381 per month in Almaty vs $739 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,187 per month in Almaty vs $1,107 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,993 per month in Almaty vs $1,475 in Oral, rent included.

Almaty costs about 87% more than Oral, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Almaty sits 1% above the global median, while Oral is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.67 ₸6,129

$8.55 ₸3,835

59.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.32 ₸20.3K

$34.83 ₸15.6K

30.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ₸3,925

$8.59 ₸3,849

1.98%

Cappuccino

$3.23 ₸1,450

$1.92 ₸861

68.23%

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

$1.34 ₸602

$1.02 ₸458

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸417

$0.64 ₸285

45.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₸1,237

$0.86 ₸384

220.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ₸1,836

$1.96 ₸876

108.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₸753

$1.48 ₸663

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ₸376

$0.46 ₸208

82.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ₸976

$1.70 ₸763

28.24%

Eggs

$2.50 ₸1,120

$1.54 ₸689

62.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 ₸5,636

$9.02 ₸4,046

39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₸3,031

$4.39 ₸1,969

53.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 ₸5,016

$11.03 ₸4,945

1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ₸877

$1.25 ₸562

56.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 ₸1,075

$2.01 ₸903

19.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₸1,302

$2.30 ₸1,031

26.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 ₸1,281

$3.44 ₸1,542

-16.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₸353

$0.43 ₸193

83.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₸264

$0.35 ₸158

68.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ₸767

$0.67 ₸302

155.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₸446

$1.10 ₸492

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₸1,153

$2.18 ₸979

17.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,000

$7.76 ₸3,477

43.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₸559

$0.65 ₸290

92.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₸1,048

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₸127

$0.21 ₸93.8

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.71 ₸9,735

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₸584

$0.68 ₸306

91.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₸312

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.27 ₸5,050

$5.43 ₸2,436

107.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 ₸304

$0.60 ₸268

13.33%

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

$22.7K ₸10.2M

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

$30.1K ₸13.5M

$30.8K ₸13.8M

-2.24%

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

$93.2 ₸41.8K

$83.9 ₸37.6K

11.06%

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

$10.81 ₸4,846

$8.80 ₸3,947

22.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.01 ₸8,073

$14.70 ₸6,591

22.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 ₸33.8K

$55.6 ₸24.9K

35.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.99 ₸13.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 ₸2,995

$3.29 ₸1,474

103.04%

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

$447 ₸200.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₸5.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 ₸41.2K

$33.89 ₸15.2K

171.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.73 ₸20.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 ₸63.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸59.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₸366.1K

$280 ₸125.6K

191.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₸223.8K

$212 ₸95.0K

135.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₸678.1K

$454 ₸203.4K

233.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 ₸411.4K

$312 ₸139.9K

194.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,535 ₸1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ₸691.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$875 ₸392.1K

$433 ₸194.0K

102.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.61

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

Last update for Almaty: September 12, 2026

Last update for Oral: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Almaty versus $280 in Oral. 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 102% 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 $35.00 in Oral. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $196 – making Oral 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 Oral: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 87%, 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 $2,071 per month in Almaty and $1,109 in Oral. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oral, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Almaty, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $35.00 in Oral. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Oral, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Almaty at $1,381. In Oral it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oral – 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 Oral. 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.