Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Polomolok

For one person, living is cheaper in Polomolok: $620 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Polomolok
🇵🇭 Philippines
$620
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Polomolok

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $620 in Polomolok, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,372
  • Polomolok $620

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $985 in Polomolok, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,142
  • Polomolok $985

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,350 in Polomolok, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,913
  • Polomolok $1,350

Almaty costs about 121% more than Polomolok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Polomolok is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16 ₸5,949
$1.58 ₱99.3
732.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.86 ₸20.3K
$16.91 ₱1,065
165.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 ₸4,022
$2.12 ₱133
319.81%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ₸1,469
$2.23 ₱141
45.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 ₸639
$0.41 ₱26.07
243.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₸399
$0.67 ₱42.50
31.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 ₸1,513
$1.12 ₱70.4
199.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₸1,827
$1.90 ₱120
112.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₸762
$1.67 ₱105
1.20%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 ₸390
$0.87 ₱54.7
-1.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ₸917
$0.67 ₱42.23
202.99%
Eggs
$2.43 ₸1,100
$1.92 ₱121
26.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.46 ₸5,632
$6.47 ₱407
92.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,033
$2.69 ₱170
149.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,905
$5.63 ₱355
92.72%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₸813
$2.59 ₱163
-30.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,018
$0.54 ₱34.18
316.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ₸1,314
$2.42 ₱153
20.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 ₸1,243
$0.77 ₱48.20
257.14%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₸337
$1.22 ₱76.7
-38.52%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸248
$2.80 ₱176
-80.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸732
$0.78 ₱49.32
107.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₸474
$0.71 ₱44.45
47.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,167
$2.40 ₱151
7.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,042
$7.19 ₱453
55.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸547
$1.01 ₱63.7
19.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₸1,104
$1.47 ₱92.3
65.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₸117
$0.22 ₱13.75
18.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.03 ₸9,957
$11.28 ₱710
95.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₸611
$0.77 ₱48.79
75.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$0.25 ₱15.82
156.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.16 ₸5,044
$1.89 ₱119
490.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸324
$0.93 ₱58.4
-22.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ₸10.2M
$16.2K ₱1.0M
39.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K ₸13.7M
$17.3K ₱1.1M
74.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.8 ₸41.5K
$52.3 ₱3,291
75.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.66 ₸4,820
$19.17 ₱1,208
-44.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.86 ₸8,072
$26.21 ₱1,651
-31.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.3 ₸31.8K
$31.95 ₱2,012
120.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.60 ₸12.5K
$4.68 ₱295
489.74%
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 ₸3,064
$3.87 ₱244
75.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$449 ₸202.9K
$109 ₱6,851
312.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K ₸5.5M
$1,344 ₱84.7K
800.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 ₸40.7K
$33.49 ₱2,110
168.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.02 ₸21.3K
$19.40 ₱1,222
142.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 ₸64.1K
$62.8 ₱3,954
125.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.0K
$60.6 ₱3,820
118.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 ₸363.7K
$269 ₱17.0K
198.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₸225.9K
$171 ₱10.8K
192.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₸645.9K
$580 ₱36.5K
146.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$904 ₸408.8K
$374 ₱23.6K
141.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,503 ₸1.1M
$2,452 ₱154.4K
2.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,559 ₸704.7K
$1,010 ₱63.6K
54.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Polomolok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$870 ₸393.3K
$243 ₱15.3K
258.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
6
244.17%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$500
Polomolok
$171 65.8% $329
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$250
Polomolok
$158 36.7% $92
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Polomolok
$59 71% $145
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Polomolok
$79 57.2% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$120
Polomolok
$98 18.9% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$84
Polomolok
$40 52.7% $44
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Polomolok
$14 48.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $269 in Polomolok. 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 258% 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 Polomolok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $158 – making Polomolok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇵🇭 Polomolok
🕒 Local time
04:29 4:29 AM
06:29 6:29 AM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
172,605
💱 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 Polomolok 6,240 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Polomolok

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 Polomolok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polomolok cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 121%, 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 $929 in Polomolok. 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 Polomolok, 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 Polomolok?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $17.00 in Polomolok. 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 Polomolok?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $620 in Polomolok. That's a gap of about 121%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Polomolok?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polomolok, where all-in costs run around $620, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Polomolok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Polomolok more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Polomolok – 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 Polomolok. 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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