Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Oskemen Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Oskemen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,080 per month in Almaty vs $754 in Oskemen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Almaty vs $1,215 in Oskemen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,304 per month in Almaty vs $1,677 in Oskemen, rent included.

Almaty costs about 43% more than Oskemen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Almaty and Oskemen are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 19% lower, Oskemen 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 ₸3,713

$3.95 ₸1,857

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.58 ₸18.1K

$18.61 ₸8,747

107.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 ₸3,250

$3.58 ₸1,681

93.30%

Cappuccino

$2.43 ₸1,140

$2.02 ₸950

20.30%

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

$0.99 ₸464

$0.81 ₸379

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₸246

$0.49 ₸231

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₸638

$1.40 ₸660

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₸1,385

$1.46 ₸685

102.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ₸616

$1.09 ₸514

20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₸258

$0.46 ₸216

19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 ₸715

$1.15 ₸539

32.17%

Eggs

$1.76 ₸828

$1.55 ₸728

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 ₸4,542

$7.57 ₸3,556

27.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 ₸2,197

$4.61 ₸2,166

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 ₸3,613

$7.07 ₸3,321

8.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 ₸655

$1.16 ₸544

19.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₸900

$1.82 ₸857

4.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₸914

$2.39 ₸1,126

-18.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ₸970

$2.50 ₸1,176

-17.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₸275

$0.61 ₸285

-4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₸202

$0.44 ₸205

-2.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₸612

$0.30 ₸143

333.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₸346

$0.79 ₸369

-6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 ₸912

$1.90 ₸891

2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₸5,010

$4.80 ₸2,256

122.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₸386

$1.29 ₸605

-36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₸990

$1.43 ₸671

47.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸113

$0.21 ₸98.6

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.33 ₸8,617

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ₸566

$0.95 ₸445

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₸335

$0.29 ₸138

144.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 ₸2,177

$2.11 ₸994

119.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 ₸245

$0.46 ₸214

13.04%

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

$23.6K ₸11.1M

$28.6K ₸13.5M

-17.75%

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

$27.4K ₸12.9M

$27.1K ₸12.8M

0.88%

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

$62.4 ₸29.3K

$40.39 ₸19.0K

54.59%

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

$8.56 ₸4,022

$9.55 ₸4,488

-10.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.90 ₸6,535

$16.80 ₸7,898

-17.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 ₸22.0K

$23.36 ₸11.0K

100.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 ₸10.1K

$17.53 ₸8,238

22.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 ₸2,445

$4.33 ₸2,035

20.09%

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

$268 ₸125.8K

$59.5 ₸28.0K

349.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K ₸6.1M

$2,502 ₸1.2M

420.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 ₸39.9K

$118 ₸55.5K

-28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ₸20.9K

$84.3 ₸39.6K

-47.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 ₸46.7K

$99.3 ₸46.7K

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₸56.3K

$92.2 ₸43.3K

29.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₸302.4K

$328 ₸154.3K

95.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 ₸199.7K

$222 ₸104.5K

91.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 ₸544.0K

$534 ₸251.2K

116.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₸364.5K

$473 ₸222.5K

63.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,362 ₸1.1M

$1,060 ₸498.2K

122.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 ₸640.9K

$787 ₸369.9K

73.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 ₸392.0K

$773 ₸363.2K

7.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

-3.21%

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

Last update for Almaty: July 14, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in Almaty versus $328 in Oskemen. 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 8% 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 $39.00 in Almaty versus $19.00 in Oskemen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $164 – making Oskemen 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 Oskemen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,620 per month in Almaty and $1,131 in Oskemen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,080 in Almaty and $754 in Oskemen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $268 per month in Almaty and $59.5 in Oskemen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oskemen, where all-in costs run around $754, than in Almaty at $1,080. In Oskemen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oskemen – 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 Oskemen. 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.