Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Taitung

For one person, living is cheaper in Taitung: $1,035 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Taitung
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$1,035
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Taitung

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $1,035 in Taitung, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,372
  • Taitung $1,035

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,802 in Taitung, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,142
  • Taitung $1,802

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $2,569 in Taitung, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,913
  • Taitung $2,569

Almaty costs about 33% more than Taitung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Taitung is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.16 ₸5,949
$3.82 NT$124
244.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.86 ₸20.3K
$48.18 NT$1,562
-6.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.90 ₸4,022
$5.56 NT$180
60.07%
Cappuccino
$3.25 ₸1,469
$3.45 NT$112
-5.80%
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
$0.68 NT$22.00
29.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 ₸1,513
$2.88 NT$93.3
16.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₸1,827
$3.76 NT$122
7.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₸762
$3.09 NT$100
-45.31%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 ₸390
$1.87 NT$60.7
-54.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ₸917
$3.12 NT$101
-34.94%
Eggs
$2.43 ₸1,100
$2.33 NT$75.4
4.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.46 ₸5,632
$19.49 NT$632
-36.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,033
$3.89 NT$126
72.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,905
$21.88 NT$709
-50.41%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₸813
$1.92 NT$62.1
-6.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,018
$2.92 NT$94.6
-22.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ₸1,314
$1.93 NT$62.5
50.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.75 ₸1,243
$4.50 NT$146
-38.89%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₸337
$2.73 NT$88.4
-72.53%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸248
$2.36 NT$76.5
-76.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸732
$1.78 NT$57.7
-8.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ₸474
$1.11 NT$35.94
-5.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,167
$4.00 NT$130
-35.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,042
$14.07 NT$456
-20.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸547
$1.64 NT$53.3
-26.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 ₸1,104
$2.28 NT$73.8
7.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₸117
$0.65 NT$20.95
-60.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.03 ₸9,957
$36.43 NT$1,181
-39.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₸611
$2.72 NT$88.3
-50.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$0.78 NT$25.14
-17.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.16 ₸5,044
$9.18 NT$298
21.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸324
$0.90 NT$29.33
-20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K ₸10.2M
$33.2K NT$1.1M
-32.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K ₸13.7M
$24.1K NT$781.5K
25.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.8 ₸41.5K
$85.6 NT$2,777
7.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.66 ₸4,820
$17.66 NT$573
-39.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.86 ₸8,072
$27.09 NT$878
-34.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$70.3 ₸31.8K
$36.70 NT$1,190
91.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.60 ₸12.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 ₸3,064
$9.25 NT$300
-26.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$449 ₸202.9K
$677 NT$21.9K
-33.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K ₸5.5M
$17.0K NT$550.6K
-28.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 ₸40.7K
$28.52 NT$925
215.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.02 ₸21.3K
$15.68 NT$508
199.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$142 ₸64.1K
$49.43 NT$1,603
186.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.0K
$105 NT$3,410
26.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 ₸363.7K
$412 NT$13.4K
95.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$500 ₸225.9K
$251 NT$8,133
99.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 ₸645.9K
$983 NT$31.9K
45.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$904 ₸408.8K
$747 NT$24.2K
21.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,503 ₸1.1M
$7,734 NT$250.8K
-67.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,559 ₸704.7K
$5,021 NT$162.8K
-68.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Taitung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$870 ₸393.3K
$637 NT$20.7K
36.56%
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 Taitung: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$500
Taitung
$251 49.8% $249
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$250
Taitung
$346 38.4% $96
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Taitung
$117 42.9% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Taitung
$89 51.7% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$120
Taitung
$130 8.4% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$84
Taitung
$55 34.2% $29
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Taitung
$46 65.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $412 in Taitung. 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 37% higher in Almaty, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty versus $48.00 in Taitung. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $346 – making Almaty the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇹🇼 Taitung
🕒 Local time
00:13 12:13 AM
02:13 2:13 AM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
106,368
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, 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).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Taitung 4,640 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Taitung

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 Taitung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taitung cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,058 per month in Almaty and $1,552 in Taitung. 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 Taitung, 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 Taitung?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Almaty and $48.00 in Taitung. 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 Taitung?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,372 in Almaty and $1,035 in Taitung. That's a gap of about 33%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Taitung?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Taitung, where all-in costs run around $1,035, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Taitung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Taitung more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Taitung – 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 Taitung?
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 Taitung. 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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