Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Surigao

For one person, living is cheaper in Surigao: $736 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Surigao
🇵🇭 Philippines
$736
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Surigao

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 Surigao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $736 in Surigao, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,372
  • Surigao $736

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,124 in Surigao, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,142
  • Surigao $1,124

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $1,512 in Surigao, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,913
  • Surigao $1,512

Almaty costs about 86% more than Surigao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Surigao is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16 ₸5,949
$3.98 ₱251
230.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.86 ₸20.3K
$17.81 ₱1,122
151.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 ₸4,022
$2.87 ₱181
210.10%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ₸1,469
$1.99 ₱125
63.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 ₸639
$0.73 ₱45.85
93.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₸399
$0.32 ₱19.84
175.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 ₸1,513
$1.26 ₱79.4
165.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₸1,827
$2.13 ₱134
89.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₸762
$1.62 ₱102
4.32%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 ₸390
$0.98 ₱61.6
-12.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ₸917
$0.99 ₱62.0
105.05%
Eggs
$2.43 ₸1,100
$1.94 ₱122
25.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.46 ₸5,632
$5.75 ₱362
116.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,033
$4.14 ₱261
62.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,905
$6.88 ₱433
57.70%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₸813
$2.07 ₱131
-13.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,018
$1.58 ₱99.2
42.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ₸1,314
$2.56 ₱161
13.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 ₸1,243
$1.17 ₱73.6
135.04%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₸337
$1.95 ₱123
-61.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸248
$1.76 ₱111
-68.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸732
$0.82 ₱51.5
97.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₸474
$0.60 ₱37.75
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,167
$2.97 ₱187
-13.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,042
$6.78 ₱427
64.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸547
$1.05 ₱66.3
15.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₸1,104
$1.72 ₱108
41.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₸117
$0.26 ₱16.48
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.03 ₸9,957
$11.30 ₱712
94.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₸611
$0.66 ₱41.51
104.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$0.23 ₱14.66
178.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.16 ₸5,044
$1.87 ₱118
496.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸324
$1.32 ₱83.0
-45.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ₸10.2M
$18.7K ₱1.2M
20.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K ₸13.7M
$18.0K ₱1.1M
68.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.8 ₸41.5K
$124 ₱7,799
-25.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.66 ₸4,820
$15.97 ₱1,006
-33.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.86 ₸8,072
$34.80 ₱2,191
-48.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.3 ₸31.8K
$35.92 ₱2,262
95.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.60 ₸12.5K
$5.18 ₱326
432.82%
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 ₸3,064
$4.96 ₱313
36.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$449 ₸202.9K
$144 ₱9,095
210.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K ₸5.5M
$6,892 ₱433.9K
75.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 ₸40.7K
$36.99 ₱2,329
143.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.02 ₸21.3K
$20.93 ₱1,318
124.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 ₸64.1K
$69.6 ₱4,384
103.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.0K
$49.50 ₱3,116
168.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 ₸363.7K
$243 ₱15.3K
231.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₸225.9K
$168 ₱10.6K
197.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₸645.9K
$461 ₱29.0K
209.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$904 ₸408.8K
$363 ₱22.9K
149.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,503 ₸1.1M
$2,434 ₱153.3K
2.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,559 ₸704.7K
$1,108 ₱69.8K
40.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Surigao
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$870 ₸393.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
6.79
204.12%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Surigao: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$500
Surigao
$168 66.3% $331
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$250
Surigao
$174 30.4% $76
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Surigao
$79 61.4% $126
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Surigao
$80 57% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$120
Surigao
$175 45.1% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$84
Surigao
$46 45.3% $38
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Surigao
$14 48.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $243 in Surigao. 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 $18.00 in Surigao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $174 – making Surigao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇵🇭 Surigao
🕒 Local time
23:36 11:36 PM
01:36 1:36 AM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
171,107
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Surigao 5,970 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Surigao

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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Surigao cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,104 in Surigao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Surigao, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Almaty or in Surigao?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $18.00 in Surigao. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Almaty and in Surigao?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $736 in Surigao. That's a gap of about 86%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Surigao?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Surigao, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Surigao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Surigao more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Surigao – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Almaty or Surigao?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Surigao. 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.

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