Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Taldykorgan

For one person, living is cheaper in Taldykorgan: $937 a month against $1,359 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Almaty, Kazakhstan
Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan
Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,359
/mo nomad
Taldykorgan
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$937
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Taldykorgan

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

A single person spends $1,359 per month in Almaty vs $937 in Taldykorgan, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,359
  • Taldykorgan $937

A couple spends around $2,117 per month in Almaty vs $1,206 in Taldykorgan, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,117
  • Taldykorgan $1,206

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Almaty vs $1,476 in Taldykorgan, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,876
  • Taldykorgan $1,476

Almaty costs about 45% more than Taldykorgan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.39 ₸6,037
$4.51 ₸2,034
196.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.76 ₸19.7K
$22.52 ₸10.2K
94.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.75 ₸3,944
$8.82 ₸3,974
-0.79%
Cappuccino
$3.33 ₸1,501
$1.37 ₸616
143.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 ₸562
$0.45 ₸204
177.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₸404
$0.34 ₸155
164.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.02 ₸1,359
$0.89 ₸402
239.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92 ₸1,769
$1.32 ₸594
196.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₸763
$1.27 ₸574
33.07%
White Bread (500g)
$0.98 ₸444
$0.43 ₸195
127.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 ₸934
$1.53 ₸691
35.29%
Eggs
$2.43 ₸1,098
$1.31 ₸589
85.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.86 ₸5,798
$12.54 ₸5,651
2.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.65 ₸2,998
$6.75 ₸3,045
-1.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.67 ₸4,811
$5.99 ₸2,699
78.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.78 ₸802
$1.82 ₸820
-2.20%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 ₸1,018
$2.29 ₸1,033
-1.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.10 ₸1,399
$3.03 ₸1,365
2.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 ₸1,262
$1.70 ₸766
64.71%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 ₸335
$0.73 ₸330
1.37%
Onion (1kg)
$0.56 ₸255
$0.21 ₸94.2
166.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.67 ₸754
$1.14 ₸515
46.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 ₸462
$1.01 ₸457
1.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.71 ₸1,222
$1.96 ₸884
38.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.85 ₸4,890
$8.17 ₸3,683
32.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 ₸566
$1.25 ₸564
0.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 ₸1,067
$2.27 ₸1,021
4.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ₸127
$0.18 ₸79.1
55.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.82 ₸9,836
$16.78 ₸7,565
30.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.08 ₸486
$1.03 ₸463
4.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.68 ₸306
$0.68 ₸309
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.49 ₸2,474
$5.61 ₸2,529
-2.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.67 ₸301
$0.59 ₸266
13.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K ₸13.1M
$28.0K ₸12.6M
3.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K ₸14.0M
$31.1K ₸14.0M
0.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.4 ₸40.7K
$87.5 ₸39.4K
3.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.52 ₸4,744
$10.59 ₸4,774
-0.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.34 ₸7,815
$17.97 ₸8,100
-3.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₸28.9K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.37 ₸12.3K
$3.36 ₸1,515
714.58%
Cinema Ticket
$6.53 ₸2,942
$2.61 ₸1,175
150.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$489 ₸220.6K
$487 ₸219.8K
0.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.9K ₸8.5M
$18.9K ₸8.5M
0.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.0 ₸41.9K
$91.8 ₸41.4K
1.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.42 ₸21.4K
$10.94 ₸4,932
333.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 ₸62.3K
$60.5 ₸27.3K
128.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 ₸58.7K
$60.5 ₸27.3K
115.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$773 ₸348.5K
$553 ₸249.3K
39.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$495 ₸223.1K
$396 ₸178.6K
24.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,393 ₸627.9K
$1,918 ₸864.8K
-27.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$885 ₸399.0K
$306 ₸138.0K
189.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,426 ₸1.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,565 ₸705.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Taldykorgan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$887 ₸399.9K
$393 ₸177.0K
125.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.38
20.38
-

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

Last update for Almaty: November 2, 2026

Last update for Taldykorgan: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$495
Taldykorgan
$396 19.9% $99
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$253
Taldykorgan
$208 17.8% $45
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Taldykorgan
$89 56.4% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$184
Taldykorgan
$101 45.3% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$118
Taldykorgan
$116 1.9% $2.2
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$77
Taldykorgan
$5.2 * 93.2% $72
Getting Around
Almaty
$27
Taldykorgan
$22 20% $5.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Almaty versus $553 in Taldykorgan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Almaty are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Almaty versus $23 in Taldykorgan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $208 – making Taldykorgan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇰🇿 Taldykorgan
🕒 Local time
01:37 1:37 AM
01:37 1:37 AM
Same time as Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
169,462
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 451 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 504 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Taldykorgan 230 km
From you
  • Almaty
  • Taldykorgan

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 Taldykorgan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taldykorgan cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 45%, 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 $2,039 per month in Almaty and $1,405 in Taldykorgan. 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 Taldykorgan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $553 there versus $773 in Almaty.
Is eating out cheaper in Almaty or in Taldykorgan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Almaty and $23 in Taldykorgan. 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 Taldykorgan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,359 in Almaty and $937 in Taldykorgan. That makes Taldykorgan about 31% cheaper.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Almaty or in Taldykorgan?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,359 in Almaty and $937 in Taldykorgan. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Almaty or in Taldykorgan?
It depends on your priorities. Almaty has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $937 in Taldykorgan to $1,359 in Almaty. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Taldykorgan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Almaty makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Almaty vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?