Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Sale Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Sale

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,043 per month in Almaty vs $779 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Almaty vs $1,232 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,292 per month in Almaty vs $1,684 in Sale, rent included.

Almaty costs about 34% more than Sale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Almaty and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 22% lower, Sale 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.86 ₸3,837

$4.55 MAD 42.09

72.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 ₸19.4K

$32.89 MAD 304

20.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 ₸3,424

$6.80 MAD 62.9

3.09%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₸1,140

$1.98 MAD 18.35

17.68%

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

$0.99 ₸482

$0.69 MAD 6.36

43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₸278

$0.40 MAD 3.73

42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₸681

$5.42 MAD 50.2

-74.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₸1,416

$4.20 MAD 38.88

-30.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₸649

$0.95 MAD 8.79

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₸273

$0.57 MAD 5.31

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ₸725

$1.87 MAD 17.26

-20.86%

Eggs

$1.72 ₸841

$1.96 MAD 18.17

-12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ₸4,770

$13.06 MAD 121

-25.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 ₸2,304

$6.01 MAD 55.6

-21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 ₸3,650

$12.03 MAD 111

-37.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 ₸660

$1.52 MAD 14.06

-11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 ₸918

$1.32 MAD 12.23

42.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ₸953

$0.92 MAD 8.50

111.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ₸976

$0.89 MAD 8.21

124.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₸306

$0.80 MAD 7.38

-21.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₸206

$0.80 MAD 7.45

-47.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ₸628

$0.39 MAD 3.62

230.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₸338

$0.59 MAD 5.44

16.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 ₸926

$4.36 MAD 40.30

-56.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 ₸4,934

$4.84 MAD 44.74

108.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₸406

$2.72 MAD 25.20

-69.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₸1,005

$2.47 MAD 22.86

-16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸118

$0.57 MAD 5.27

-57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.17 ₸8,875

$25.11 MAD 232

-27.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ₸585

$0.53 MAD 4.86

126.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₸330

$0.48 MAD 4.40

41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 ₸2,353

$4.32 MAD 39.93

11.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 ₸232

$1.52 MAD 14.04

-68.42%

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

$23.3K ₸11.4M

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

-37.51%

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

$26.7K ₸13.0M

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

-9.95%

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

$62.3 ₸30.4K

$32.93 MAD 305

89.13%

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

$8.53 ₸4,164

$11.00 MAD 102

-22.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.73 ₸6,707

$45.34 MAD 419

-69.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.82 ₸23.4K

$14.22 MAD 132

236.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.14 ₸10.3K

$23.46 MAD 217

-9.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 ₸2,621

$6.41 MAD 59.3

-16.22%

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

$264 ₸128.9K

$113 MAD 1,044

133.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K ₸6.3M

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

100.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 ₸41.3K

$43.49 MAD 402

94.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.14 ₸21.6K

$50.8 MAD 470

-13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ₸47.9K

$107 MAD 994

-8.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₸59.5K

$98.8 MAD 914

23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 ₸321.3K

$282 MAD 2,611

133.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ₸205.1K

$175 MAD 1,619

139.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 ₸581.4K

$511 MAD 4,724

133.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 ₸373.9K

$303 MAD 2,800

152.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,165 ₸1.1M

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

79.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,291 ₸630.5K

$880 MAD 8,143

46.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 ₸374.5K

$533 MAD 4,934

43.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

4.81

282.33%

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

Last update for Almaty: June 9, 2026

Last update for Sale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $658 in Almaty versus $282 in Sale. 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 44% 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 $40.00 in Almaty versus $33.00 in Sale. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Almaty vs $200 in Sale – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,565 per month in Almaty and $1,169 in Sale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, 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 $40.00 in Almaty and $33.00 in Sale. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,043 in Almaty and $779 in Sale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Almaty at $1,043. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.