Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Putra Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Putra Heights: $942 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Putra Heights
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Putra Heights Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Putra Heights

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$942

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Putra Heights

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $942 in Putra Heights, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Putra Heights $942

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,398 in Putra Heights, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Putra Heights $1,398

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,855 in Putra Heights, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Putra Heights $1,855

Almaty costs about 46% more than Putra Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Putra Heights is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$3.75 MYR 15.29

250.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$18.38 MYR 75.0

144.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$4.88 MYR 19.93

82.38%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$2.98 MYR 12.15

9.06%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$0.85 MYR 3.47

65.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.44 MYR 1.81

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$4.52 MYR 18.45

-25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$6.15 MYR 25.10

-34.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$1.75 MYR 7.12

-3.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$1.11 MYR 4.53

-22.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$1.48 MYR 6.02

37.16%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$1.74 MYR 7.09

39.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$13.83 MYR 56.4

-9.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$4.32 MYR 17.62

55.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$9.66 MYR 39.39

12.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$3.42 MYR 13.97

-47.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.66 MYR 6.78

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$2.32 MYR 9.45

25.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$1.55 MYR 6.31

77.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$1.29 MYR 5.25

-41.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$1.35 MYR 5.52

-59.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$1.17 MYR 4.78

38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$0.52 MYR 2.10

101.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$4.40 MYR 17.93

-41.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$14.00 MYR 57.1

-20.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$2.89 MYR 11.79

-58.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$3.10 MYR 12.66

-21.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.75 MYR 3.07

-65.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$12.05 MYR 49.14

82.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$1.01 MYR 4.11

33.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.70 MYR 2.86

-8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$4.99 MYR 20.35

123.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$0.83 MYR 3.37

-13.25%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$42.1K MYR 171.8K

-46.51%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$35.1K MYR 143.3K

-13.82%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$63.4 MYR 259

44.77%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$8.81 MYR 35.92

21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$26.68 MYR 109

-33.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$39.80 MYR 162

76.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

$7.32 MYR 29.87

277.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$5.06 MYR 20.64

33.99%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$162 MYR 659

177.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$5,415 MYR 22.1K

123.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$53.4 MYR 218

68.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$16.30 MYR 66.5

188.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$81.8 MYR 334

73.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$96.5 MYR 393

37.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$405 MYR 1,654

98.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$298 MYR 1,214

67.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$675 MYR 2,753

111.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$480 MYR 1,958

88.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$1,835 MYR 7,484

36.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$944 MYR 3,851

65.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$1,121 MYR 4,575

-22.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

4.06

408.62%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Putra Heights: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Putra Heights

$298 31.6% 40.5% $202

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Putra Heights

$244 25.9% 2.7% $6.7

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Putra Heights

$120 12.8% 41.2% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Putra Heights

$112 11.9% 39.7% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Putra Heights

$99 10.5% 17.8% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Putra Heights

$50 5.3% 40.5% $34

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Putra Heights

$20 2.1% 29.1% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $405 in Putra Heights. 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 29% higher in Putra Heights, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty versus $18.00 in Putra Heights. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $244 – making Putra Heights the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇲🇾 Putra Heights

🕒 Local time

13:25 1:25 PM

15:25 3:25 PM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

60,000

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Almaty Putra Heights 5,090 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Putra Heights

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 Putra Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,412 in Putra Heights. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $18.00 in Putra Heights. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $942 in Putra Heights. That's a gap of about 46%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Putra Heights, where all-in costs run around $942, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Putra Heights it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putra Heights – 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 Putra Heights. 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.