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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,364 per month in Almaty vs $1,049 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,124 per month in Almaty vs $1,573 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,885 per month in Almaty vs $2,097 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

Almaty costs about 30% more than Qapshaghay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Almaty and Qapshaghay are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 1% lower, Qapshaghay 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.92 ₸5,887

$11.05 ₸5,032

16.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.03 ₸20.5K

$21.64 ₸9,858

108.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 ₸3,921

$6.49 ₸2,959

32.67%

Cappuccino

$3.15 ₸1,433

$1.69 ₸768

86.39%

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

$1.33 ₸605

$1.01 ₸460

31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₸372

$0.67 ₸305

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ₸1,105

$1.34 ₸612

81.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 ₸1,784

$1.27 ₸579

208.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₸749

$1.68 ₸767

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₸367

$0.43 ₸198

88.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ₸949

$2.03 ₸925

2.46%

Eggs

$2.30 ₸1,049

$2.33 ₸1,062

-1.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 ₸5,570

$11.93 ₸5,434

2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 ₸3,032

$6.69 ₸3,047

-0.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 ₸4,887

$10.70 ₸4,873

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₸843

$1.91 ₸871

-3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 ₸1,075

$2.39 ₸1,089

-1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₸1,320

$2.90 ₸1,321

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 ₸1,261

$2.66 ₸1,210

4.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸343

$0.77 ₸349

-2.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₸260

$0.52 ₸238

9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 ₸727

$1.68 ₸764

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₸441

$1.03 ₸468

-5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₸1,172

$1.64 ₸746

56.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 ₸4,898

$10.63 ₸4,844

1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₸533

$1.16 ₸528

0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₸1,084

$2.31 ₸1,050

3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₸114

$0.15 ₸70.4

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.05 ₸9,588

$17.57 ₸8,003

19.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₸604

$0.77 ₸351

72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₸288

$0.64 ₸291

-1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₸4,969

$3.97 ₸1,807

174.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 ₸307

$0.54 ₸248

24.07%

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

$26.2K ₸11.9M

$25.6K ₸11.7M

2.39%

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

$29.5K ₸13.4M

$29.8K ₸13.6M

-0.97%

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

$90.4 ₸41.2K

$87.6 ₸39.9K

3.27%

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

$10.95 ₸4,987

$10.57 ₸4,816

3.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.47 ₸7,957

$17.40 ₸7,928

0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 ₸34.2K

$41.84 ₸19.1K

79.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.29 ₸13.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 ₸2,879

$6.66 ₸3,035

-5.11%

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

$425 ₸193.8K

$142 ₸64.8K

199.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₸5.3M

$4,286 ₸2.0M

171.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 ₸39.5K

$89.7 ₸40.9K

-3.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.71 ₸21.3K

$46.64 ₸21.2K

0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 ₸63.4K

$139 ₸63.3K

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.4K

$132 ₸60.2K

0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$791 ₸360.2K

$441 ₸200.8K

79.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ₸226.6K

$302 ₸137.8K

64.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 ₸652.3K

$694 ₸316.3K

106.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$912 ₸415.6K

$489 ₸222.8K

86.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,446 ₸1.1M

$974 ₸443.8K

151.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,504 ₸685.1K

$799 ₸363.8K

88.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$850 ₸387.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.61

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

Last update for Almaty: September 1, 2026

Last update for Qapshaghay: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $791 in Almaty versus $441 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 $45.00 in Almaty versus $22.00 in Qapshaghay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $243 – 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 30%, 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 $2,046 per month in Almaty and $1,573 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $22.00 in Qapshaghay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,364 in Almaty and $1,049 in Qapshaghay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qapshaghay, where all-in costs run around $1,049, than in Almaty at $1,364. 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.