Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Pavlodar Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Pavlodar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,080 per month in Almaty vs $688 in Pavlodar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Almaty vs $1,085 in Pavlodar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,304 per month in Almaty vs $1,481 in Pavlodar, rent included.

Almaty costs about 57% more than Pavlodar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Almaty and Pavlodar are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 19% lower, Pavlodar 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 ₸3,713

$5.82 ₸2,736

35.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.58 ₸18.1K

$19.20 ₸9,023

100.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 ₸3,250

$7.47 ₸3,511

-7.36%

Cappuccino

$2.43 ₸1,140

$1.62 ₸760

50.00%

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

$0.99 ₸464

$1.09 ₸513

-9.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₸246

$0.45 ₸211

15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₸638

$0.86 ₸402

58.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₸1,385

$1.23 ₸578

139.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ₸616

$0.83 ₸390

57.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₸258

$0.35 ₸166

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 ₸715

$1.01 ₸476

50.50%

Eggs

$1.76 ₸828

$1.58 ₸741

11.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 ₸4,542

$4.83 ₸2,268

100.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 ₸2,197

$4.34 ₸2,038

7.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 ₸3,613

$6.08 ₸2,860

26.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 ₸655

$1.29 ₸608

7.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₸900

$1.58 ₸744

20.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₸914

$1.92 ₸902

1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ₸970

$1.53 ₸718

34.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₸275

$0.80 ₸377

-27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₸202

$0.69 ₸325

-37.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₸612

$0.96 ₸449

35.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₸346

$0.76 ₸359

-2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 ₸912

$2.11 ₸989

-8.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₸5,010

$6.91 ₸3,250

54.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₸386

$0.95 ₸446

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₸990

$1.55 ₸729

36.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸113

$0.21 ₸97.9

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.33 ₸8,617

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ₸566

$1.51 ₸707

-20.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₸335

$0.76 ₸359

-6.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 ₸2,177

$4.82 ₸2,267

-3.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 ₸245

$0.46 ₸215

13.04%

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

$23.6K ₸11.1M

$19.8K ₸9.3M

19.17%

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

$27.4K ₸12.9M

$18.7K ₸8.8M

46.30%

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

$62.4 ₸29.3K

$50.9 ₸23.9K

22.58%

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

$8.56 ₸4,022

$10.01 ₸4,704

-14.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.90 ₸6,535

$13.64 ₸6,412

1.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 ₸22.0K

$36.89 ₸17.3K

26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 ₸10.1K

$9.73 ₸4,573

120.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 ₸2,445

$5.49 ₸2,579

-5.28%

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

$268 ₸125.8K

$120 ₸56.2K

123.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K ₸6.1M

$4,820 ₸2.3M

170.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 ₸39.9K

$56.6 ₸26.6K

50.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ₸20.9K

$29.42 ₸13.8K

51.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 ₸46.7K

$89.5 ₸42.1K

11.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₸56.3K

$79.2 ₸37.2K

51.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₸302.4K

$246 ₸115.5K

161.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 ₸199.7K

$193 ₸90.9K

119.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 ₸544.0K

$490 ₸230.5K

135.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₸364.5K

$383 ₸180.2K

102.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,362 ₸1.1M

$1,064 ₸500.0K

122.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 ₸640.9K

$850 ₸399.6K

60.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 ₸392.0K

$671 ₸315.3K

24.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

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

Last update for Almaty: July 14, 2026

Last update for Pavlodar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in Almaty versus $246 in Pavlodar. 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 24% 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 Pavlodar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $146 – making Pavlodar 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 Pavlodar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,032 in Pavlodar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pavlodar, 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 $688 in Pavlodar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $268 per month in Almaty and $120 in Pavlodar. 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 Pavlodar, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Almaty at $1,080. In Pavlodar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pavlodar – 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 Pavlodar. 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.