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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in Almaty vs $792 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,679 per month in Almaty vs $1,237 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,291 per month in Almaty vs $1,682 in Sale, rent included.

Almaty costs about 35% more than Sale, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Almaty and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 20% lower, Sale 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 ₸3,660

$4.58 MAD 42.37

72.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.67 ₸18.3K

$32.93 MAD 305

20.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ₸3,081

$6.61 MAD 61.2

0.76%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ₸1,116

$2.06 MAD 19.08

16.99%

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

$0.95 ₸440

$0.63 MAD 5.85

50.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₸264

$0.40 MAD 3.70

42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₸652

$5.42 MAD 50.1

-73.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₸1,334

$4.14 MAD 38.30

-30.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₸586

$0.96 MAD 8.91

32.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₸251

$0.55 MAD 5.06

-1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ₸686

$1.95 MAD 18.06

-24.10%

Eggs

$1.71 ₸793

$1.99 MAD 18.39

-14.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 ₸4,449

$13.02 MAD 120

-26.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 ₸2,060

$6.00 MAD 55.5

-25.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 ₸3,526

$11.69 MAD 108

-34.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₸619

$1.50 MAD 13.90

-10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₸878

$1.34 MAD 12.44

41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸874

$0.90 MAD 8.33

110.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ₸926

$0.85 MAD 7.82

135.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₸272

$0.80 MAD 7.37

-26.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₸195

$0.79 MAD 7.31

-46.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₸601

$0.43 MAD 3.94

202.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₸323

$0.64 MAD 5.91

9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ₸915

$4.36 MAD 40.30

-54.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 ₸3,912

$7.13 MAD 66.0

18.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₸386

$2.61 MAD 24.15

-67.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₸989

$2.55 MAD 23.55

-16.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₸102

$0.56 MAD 5.21

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.79 ₸8,226

$24.44 MAD 226

-27.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₸526

$0.53 MAD 4.88

115.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₸308

$0.52 MAD 4.81

28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ₸2,122

$4.47 MAD 41.37

2.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 ₸225

$1.60 MAD 14.76

-69.38%

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

$23.2K ₸10.7M

$37.2K MAD 344.1K

-37.56%

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

$27.5K ₸12.7M

$29.9K MAD 277.0K

-8.28%

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

$62.4 ₸28.8K

$33.03 MAD 305

88.86%

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

$9.01 ₸4,166

$10.91 MAD 101

-17.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.41 ₸6,201

$45.43 MAD 420

-70.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.68 ₸22.0K

$14.25 MAD 132

234.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 ₸10.1K

$23.67 MAD 219

-7.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 ₸2,366

$6.48 MAD 59.9

-20.99%

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

$261 ₸120.9K

$112 MAD 1,037

133.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₸5.8M

$6,300 MAD 58.3K

100.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 ₸39.7K

$42.36 MAD 392

102.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 ₸20.4K

$49.69 MAD 460

-11.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₸45.1K

$107 MAD 987

-8.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₸55.6K

$100 MAD 927

20.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₸302.1K

$283 MAD 2,620

130.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₸192.6K

$175 MAD 1,617

138.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 ₸549.5K

$501 MAD 4,631

137.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₸348.3K

$303 MAD 2,805

148.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,151 ₸994.3K

$1,201 MAD 11.1K

79.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 ₸609.9K

$852 MAD 7,882

54.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$816 ₸377.2K

$410 MAD 3,792

99.02%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sale: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $653 in Almaty versus $283 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 99% 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 – $182 in Almaty vs $204 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 35%, 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 $1,602 per month in Almaty and $1,188 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 $1,068 in Almaty and $792 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 $792, than in Almaty at $1,068. 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.