Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Qapshaghay Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Qapshaghay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,080 per month in Almaty vs $848 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Almaty vs $1,258 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,304 per month in Almaty vs $1,668 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

Almaty costs about 27% more than Qapshaghay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Almaty and Qapshaghay are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 19% lower, Qapshaghay 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 ₸3,706

$7.67 ₸3,600

3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.58 ₸18.1K

$19.34 ₸9,070

99.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 ₸3,244

$5.78 ₸2,711

19.72%

Cappuccino

$2.43 ₸1,138

$1.58 ₸743

53.80%

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

$0.99 ₸463

$0.87 ₸406

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₸246

$0.53 ₸249

-1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₸637

$1.02 ₸476

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₸1,382

$1.15 ₸538

156.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ₸615

$1.30 ₸610

0.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₸257

$0.60 ₸280

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 ₸713

$1.47 ₸690

3.40%

Eggs

$1.76 ₸826

$1.80 ₸844

-2.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 ₸4,533

$9.25 ₸4,339

4.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 ₸2,193

$4.73 ₸2,217

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 ₸3,606

$7.47 ₸3,502

2.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 ₸654

$1.39 ₸651

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 ₸898

$1.97 ₸924

-3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₸912

$1.86 ₸874

4.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ₸968

$2.07 ₸970

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₸274

$0.62 ₸290

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₸201

$0.40 ₸186

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₸611

$1.31 ₸612

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₸345

$0.70 ₸329

5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 ₸910

$1.42 ₸667

36.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.66 ₸5,000

$10.43 ₸4,893

2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₸386

$0.87 ₸410

-5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₸988

$2.05 ₸962

2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸113

$0.18 ₸82.7

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.33 ₸8,600

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ₸565

$0.70 ₸327

71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₸334

$0.62 ₸293

14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 ₸2,173

$4.79 ₸2,248

-3.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 ₸244

$0.52 ₸243

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

$23.6K ₸11.1M

$23.2K ₸10.9M

1.60%

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

$27.4K ₸12.8M

$27.0K ₸12.7M

1.43%

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

$62.4 ₸29.3K

$62.9 ₸29.5K

-0.78%

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

$8.56 ₸4,014

$8.90 ₸4,176

-3.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.90 ₸6,522

$13.46 ₸6,312

3.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.84 ₸22.0K

$33.15 ₸15.5K

41.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 ₸10.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 ₸2,440

$5.35 ₸2,510

-2.80%

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

$268 ₸125.5K

$267 ₸125.4K

0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K ₸6.1M

$4,939 ₸2.3M

163.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 ₸39.8K

$56.8 ₸26.6K

49.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.46 ₸20.9K

$44.10 ₸20.7K

0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 ₸46.7K

$99.2 ₸46.5K

0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₸56.2K

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₸301.8K

$384 ₸180.0K

67.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 ₸199.3K

$273 ₸128.2K

55.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 ₸543.0K

$625 ₸293.3K

85.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₸363.8K

$433 ₸203.2K

79.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,362 ₸1.1M

$1,026 ₸481.1K

130.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 ₸639.7K

$771 ₸361.8K

76.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$834 ₸391.2K

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 Qapshaghay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in Almaty versus $384 in Qapshaghay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Almaty versus $19.00 in Qapshaghay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $188 – making Qapshaghay 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 Qapshaghay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,272 in Qapshaghay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qapshaghay, 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 $848 in Qapshaghay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $268 per month in Almaty and $267 in Qapshaghay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qapshaghay, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Almaty at $1,080. In Qapshaghay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qapshaghay – 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 Qapshaghay. 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.