Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Semey Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Semey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in Almaty vs $694 in Semey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,679 per month in Almaty vs $1,111 in Semey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,291 per month in Almaty vs $1,528 in Semey, rent included.

Almaty costs about 54% more than Semey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Almaty and Semey are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 20% lower, Semey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 ₸3,660

$4.43 ₸2,049

78.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.67 ₸18.3K

$26.96 ₸12.5K

47.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ₸3,081

$4.65 ₸2,152

43.23%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ₸1,116

$1.54 ₸710

56.49%

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

$0.95 ₸440

$0.91 ₸421

4.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₸264

$0.56 ₸257

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₸652

$1.15 ₸533

22.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₸1,334

$1.84 ₸853

57.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₸586

$0.68 ₸315

86.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₸251

$0.34 ₸159

58.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ₸686

$1.66 ₸768

-10.84%

Eggs

$1.71 ₸793

$1.28 ₸592

33.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 ₸4,449

$8.75 ₸4,048

9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 ₸2,060

$4.50 ₸2,079

-0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 ₸3,526

$7.07 ₸3,269

7.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₸619

$1.29 ₸595

3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₸878

$1.95 ₸902

-2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸874

$1.97 ₸910

-4.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ₸926

$1.89 ₸874

5.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₸272

$0.56 ₸259

5.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₸195

$0.37 ₸173

13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ₸601

$1.00 ₸463

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₸323

$0.77 ₸355

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ₸915

$2.60 ₸1,203

-23.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 ₸3,912

$6.82 ₸3,152

24.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₸386

$0.94 ₸437

-10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₸989

$1.61 ₸742

32.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₸102

$0.18 ₸81.1

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.79 ₸8,226

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₸526

$1.02 ₸473

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₸308

$0.67 ₸311

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ₸2,122

$4.79 ₸2,216

-4.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 ₸225

$0.46 ₸213

6.52%

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

$23.2K ₸10.7M

$20.1K ₸9.3M

15.60%

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

$27.5K ₸12.7M

$24.7K ₸11.4M

11.41%

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

$62.4 ₸28.8K

$50.3 ₸23.2K

24.11%

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

$9.01 ₸4,166

$8.62 ₸3,987

4.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.41 ₸6,201

$12.89 ₸5,959

4.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.68 ₸22.0K

$33.61 ₸15.5K

41.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 ₸10.1K

$9.68 ₸4,476

125.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 ₸2,366

$4.36 ₸2,018

17.43%

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

$261 ₸120.9K

$214 ₸99.1K

22.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₸5.8M

$4,808 ₸2.2M

162.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.8 ₸39.7K

$56.4 ₸26.1K

52.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 ₸20.4K

$35.66 ₸16.5K

23.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ₸45.1K

$87.9 ₸40.7K

11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₸55.6K

$78.4 ₸36.3K

53.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 ₸302.1K

$312 ₸144.2K

109.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 ₸192.6K

$201 ₸92.8K

107.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 ₸549.5K

$520 ₸240.3K

128.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₸348.3K

$386 ₸178.2K

95.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,151 ₸994.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 ₸609.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$816 ₸377.2K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Semey: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $653 in Almaty versus $312 in Semey. 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 $40.00 in Almaty versus $27.00 in Semey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $165 – making Semey 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 Semey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,602 per month in Almaty and $1,041 in Semey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semey, 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 $1,068 in Almaty and $694 in Semey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $261 per month in Almaty and $214 in Semey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Semey, where all-in costs run around $694, than in Almaty at $1,068. In Semey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Semey – 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 Semey. 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.