Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Subang Jaya

For one person, living is cheaper in Subang Jaya: $951 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Subang Jaya
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Subang Jaya Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Subang Jaya

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$951

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Subang Jaya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Almaty and in Subang Jaya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $951 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Subang Jaya $951

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,448 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Subang Jaya $1,448

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,945 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Subang Jaya $1,945

Almaty costs about 44% more than Subang Jaya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Subang Jaya is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$3.58 MYR 14.61

267.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$19.71 MYR 80.4

127.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$4.56 MYR 18.60

95.18%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$3.03 MYR 12.37

7.26%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$0.77 MYR 3.14

83.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.40 MYR 1.63

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$4.11 MYR 16.76

-18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$4.53 MYR 18.47

-10.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$1.85 MYR 7.55

-8.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$1.04 MYR 4.26

-17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$1.68 MYR 6.85

20.83%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$2.24 MYR 9.15

8.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$13.42 MYR 54.7

-7.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$4.54 MYR 18.53

47.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$8.45 MYR 34.46

28.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$3.06 MYR 12.48

-41.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.78 MYR 7.28

26.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$2.27 MYR 9.24

28.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$1.40 MYR 5.70

96.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$1.11 MYR 4.52

-32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$1.12 MYR 4.58

-50.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$1.09 MYR 4.46

48.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$0.54 MYR 2.19

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$4.42 MYR 18.05

-41.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$18.72 MYR 76.4

-40.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$3.01 MYR 12.28

-59.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$4.90 MYR 20.00

-50.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.84 MYR 3.42

-69.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$12.39 MYR 50.6

77.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$1.21 MYR 4.92

11.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.40 MYR 1.64

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$4.77 MYR 19.44

133.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$0.88 MYR 3.57

-18.18%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$42.4K MYR 172.8K

-46.84%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$34.9K MYR 142.3K

-13.22%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$36.42 MYR 149

152.09%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$9.61 MYR 39.20

10.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$29.25 MYR 119

-38.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$24.81 MYR 101

183.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

$2.41 MYR 9.85

1045.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$5.04 MYR 20.56

34.52%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$296 MYR 1,209

51.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$10.7K MYR 43.7K

12.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$59.5 MYR 243

51.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$34.85 MYR 142

34.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$86.0 MYR 351

64.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$70.6 MYR 288

87.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$566 MYR 2,308

42.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$342 MYR 1,394

46.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$714 MYR 2,914

100.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$620 MYR 2,529

45.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$2,360 MYR 9,629

6.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$1,857 MYR 7,574

-16.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$918 MYR 3,747

-5.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

4.04

411.14%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Subang Jaya

$342 36% 31.6% $158

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Subang Jaya

$254 26.7% 1.3% $3.4

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Subang Jaya

$113 11.9% 44.9% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Subang Jaya

$113 11.9% 39% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Subang Jaya

$75 7.9% 37.4% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Subang Jaya

$35 3.7% 58.4% $49

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Subang Jaya

$19 2% 31.3% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $566 in Subang Jaya. 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 6% higher in Subang Jaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty versus $20.00 in Subang Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Almaty vs $254 in Subang Jaya – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇲🇾 Subang Jaya

🕒 Local time

16:19 4:19 PM

18:19 6:19 PM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

902,086

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Almaty Subang Jaya 5,090 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Subang Jaya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Subang Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,426 in Subang Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Subang Jaya, 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 $20.00 in Subang Jaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $951 in Subang Jaya. That's a gap of about 44%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subang Jaya, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Subang Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subang Jaya – 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 Subang Jaya. 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.