Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Saryagash Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Saryagash

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,381 per month in Almaty vs $878 in Saryagash, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,187 per month in Almaty vs $1,423 in Saryagash, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,993 per month in Almaty vs $1,968 in Saryagash, rent included.

Almaty costs about 57% more than Saryagash, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Almaty sits 1% above the global median, while Saryagash is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.67 ₸6,107

$10.25 ₸4,580

33.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.32 ₸20.2K

$31.42 ₸14.0K

44.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ₸3,912

$8.23 ₸3,678

6.44%

Cappuccino

$3.23 ₸1,445

$2.38 ₸1,064

35.71%

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

$1.34 ₸600

$1.07 ₸478

25.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸415

$0.50 ₸225

86.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₸1,233

$1.20 ₸535

130.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ₸1,829

$2.33 ₸1,040

75.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₸750

$1.38 ₸618

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ₸375

$0.44 ₸197

90.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ₸972

$1.76 ₸788

23.86%

Eggs

$2.50 ₸1,116

$1.71 ₸762

46.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 ₸5,616

$8.88 ₸3,967

41.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₸3,021

$5.83 ₸2,605

15.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 ₸4,999

$9.46 ₸4,226

18.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ₸873

$1.58 ₸708

24.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 ₸1,071

$2.35 ₸1,048

2.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 ₸1,297

$2.45 ₸1,093

18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 ₸1,276

$1.85 ₸825

54.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ₸351

$0.69 ₸309

14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₸263

$0.53 ₸236

11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ₸764

$1.16 ₸518

47.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₸445

$0.93 ₸414

6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 ₸1,149

$2.43 ₸1,086

5.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸4,982

$8.78 ₸3,922

26.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₸557

$1.27 ₸566

-1.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₸1,045

$2.18 ₸973

7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₸126

$0.23 ₸102

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.71 ₸9,701

$17.86 ₸7,981

21.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₸582

$1.16 ₸519

12.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₸311

$0.72 ₸321

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.27 ₸5,033

$5.96 ₸2,663

89.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 ₸303

$0.56 ₸251

21.43%

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

$22.7K ₸10.1M

$26.8K ₸12.0M

-15.21%

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

$30.1K ₸13.4M

$30.9K ₸13.8M

-2.57%

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

$93.2 ₸41.6K

$65.9 ₸29.4K

41.40%

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

$10.81 ₸4,829

$9.53 ₸4,257

13.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.01 ₸8,045

$15.67 ₸7,000

14.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 ₸33.7K

$42.36 ₸18.9K

78.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.99 ₸13.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 ₸2,984

$5.62 ₸2,510

18.86%

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

$447 ₸199.6K

$156 ₸69.7K

186.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₸5.3M

$5,065 ₸2.3M

135.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 ₸41.1K

$61.7 ₸27.5K

49.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.73 ₸20.9K

$43.06 ₸19.2K

8.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 ₸63.1K

$91.8 ₸41.0K

53.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸59.5K

$77.9 ₸34.8K

71.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ₸364.8K

$372 ₸166.2K

119.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₸223.1K

$231 ₸103.4K

115.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 ₸675.7K

$614 ₸274.5K

146.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 ₸410.0K

$498 ₸222.3K

84.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,535 ₸1.1M

$946 ₸422.5K

168.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 ₸689.5K

$804 ₸359.3K

91.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$875 ₸390.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.61

19.25

7.06%

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

Last update for Almaty: September 12, 2026

Last update for Saryagash: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Almaty versus $372 in Saryagash. 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 $31.00 in Saryagash. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $204 – making Saryagash 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 Saryagash: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,071 per month in Almaty and $1,318 in Saryagash. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saryagash, 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 $31.00 in Saryagash. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,381 in Almaty and $878 in Saryagash. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saryagash, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Almaty at $1,381. In Saryagash it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saryagash – 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 Saryagash. 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.