Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Tainan

For one person, living is cheaper in Tainan: $1,068 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Almaty outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Tainan
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Tainan Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Tainan

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,068

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Tainan

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $1,068 in Tainan, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Tainan $1,068

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,837 in Tainan, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Tainan $1,837

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $2,606 in Tainan, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Tainan $2,606

Almaty costs about 28% more than Tainan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Tainan is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$3.74 NT$121

251.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$24.62 NT$799

82.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$4.79 NT$155

85.80%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$3.27 NT$106

-0.61%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$0.95 NT$30.66

48.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.63 NT$20.54

39.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$2.86 NT$92.6

17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$3.49 NT$113

15.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$3.09 NT$100

-45.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$1.77 NT$57.5

-51.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$3.15 NT$102

-35.56%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$2.75 NT$89.3

-11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$19.50 NT$632

-36.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$9.88 NT$320

-32.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$21.04 NT$682

-48.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$4.96 NT$161

-63.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$2.86 NT$92.7

-21.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$3.00 NT$97.4

-3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$4.48 NT$145

-38.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$2.66 NT$86.4

-71.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$2.27 NT$73.6

-75.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$1.71 NT$55.3

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$1.15 NT$37.31

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$3.81 NT$124

-32.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$13.94 NT$452

-20.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$1.65 NT$53.4

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$2.17 NT$70.3

12.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.61 NT$19.68

-57.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$33.89 NT$1,099

-35.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$2.53 NT$82.2

-46.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.77 NT$24.92

-16.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$5.74 NT$186

94.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$1.01 NT$32.90

-28.71%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$32.8K NT$1.1M

-31.34%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$24.1K NT$780.6K

25.76%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$87.2 NT$2,828

5.27%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$17.51 NT$568

-39.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$21.30 NT$691

-16.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$45.65 NT$1,480

54.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$9.60 NT$311

-29.37%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$433 NT$14.1K

3.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$5,413 NT$175.5K

123.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$63.2 NT$2,050

42.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$39.20 NT$1,271

19.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$83.7 NT$2,716

69.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$103 NT$3,353

28.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$297 NT$9,624

171.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$200 NT$6,470

150.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$845 NT$27.4K

69.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$696 NT$22.6K

29.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$4,123 NT$133.7K

-39.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$3,022 NT$98.0K

-48.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$1,376 NT$44.6K

-36.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

2.4

760.42%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tainan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Tainan

$200 18.7% 60.1% $300

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Tainan

$393 36.9% 57.1% $143

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Tainan

$111 10.4% 45.8% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Tainan

$130 12.2% 29.6% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Tainan

$126 11.8% 4.7% $5.7

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Tainan

$65 6.1% 22.7% $19

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Tainan

$43 4% 54.7% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $297 in Tainan. 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 58% higher in Tainan, 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 $25.00 in Tainan. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Almaty vs $393 in Tainan – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇹🇼 Tainan

🕒 Local time

07:24 7:24 AM

09:24 9:24 AM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

1,886,033

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

100 TWD = 3.08 USD

100 TWD = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

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).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Almaty Tainan 4,550 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Tainan

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 Tainan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,602 in Tainan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tainan, 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 $25.00 in Tainan. 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 $1,068 in Tainan. That's a gap of about 28%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tainan, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Tainan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tainan – 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 Tainan. 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.