Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Tawau

For one person, living is cheaper in Tawau: $888 a month against $1,363 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Tawau
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Tawau Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,363

/mo nomad

Tawau

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$888

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Tawau

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

A single person spends $1,363 per month in Almaty vs $888 in Tawau, rent included.

Almaty $1,363
Tawau $888

A couple spends around $2,131 per month in Almaty vs $1,354 in Tawau, rent included.

Almaty $2,131
Tawau $1,354

A family of three spends $2,900 per month in Almaty vs $1,820 in Tawau, rent included.

Almaty $2,900
Tawau $1,820

Almaty costs about 53% more than Tawau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 1% above the global median, while Tawau is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 ₸5,899

$3.14 MYR 12.80

315.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.44 ₸19.6K

$19.22 MYR 78.4

126.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ₸3,962

$4.21 MYR 17.19

108.08%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ₸1,501

$3.15 MYR 12.86

5.40%

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

$1.34 ₸607

$0.95 MYR 3.86

41.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₸374

$0.36 MYR 1.46

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 ₸1,518

$2.66 MYR 10.83

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 ₸1,818

$4.52 MYR 18.45

-11.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₸747

$1.74 MYR 7.10

-5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₸421

$1.00 MYR 4.09

-7.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 ₸927

$1.49 MYR 6.06

37.58%

Eggs

$2.46 ₸1,113

$2.16 MYR 8.80

13.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 ₸5,646

$14.36 MYR 58.6

-13.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,035

$4.35 MYR 17.75

54.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$9.83 MYR 40.10

10.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ₸807

$3.04 MYR 12.41

-41.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.67 MYR 6.83

34.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 ₸1,299

$2.48 MYR 10.13

15.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 ₸1,227

$1.49 MYR 6.10

81.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ₸362

$1.31 MYR 5.32

-38.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸249

$1.21 MYR 4.94

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$1.07 MYR 4.37

51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₸453

$0.57 MYR 2.31

75.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$4.48 MYR 18.30

-42.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,039

$19.05 MYR 77.7

-41.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 ₸572

$3.02 MYR 12.32

-58.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₸1,120

$4.98 MYR 20.32

-50.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₸128

$0.70 MYR 2.84

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.05 ₸9,970

$12.41 MYR 50.6

77.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ₸607

$1.25 MYR 5.11

7.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.48 MYR 1.97

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.04 ₸4,993

$6.98 MYR 28.49

58.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸326

$0.87 MYR 3.57

-17.24%

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

$28.1K ₸12.7M

$50.2K MYR 204.8K

-43.94%

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

$31.8K ₸14.4M

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

-11.69%

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

$90.5 ₸40.9K

$49.37 MYR 201

83.35%

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

$10.63 ₸4,805

$10.55 MYR 43.02

0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.12 ₸8,190

$28.74 MYR 117

-36.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ₸31.2K

$43.34 MYR 177

59.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.98 ₸12.2K

$6.82 MYR 27.83

295.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 ₸3,062

$3.77 MYR 15.39

79.58%

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

$444 ₸200.6K

$183 MYR 746

142.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ₸5.4M

$7,623 MYR 31.1K

56.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 ₸41.5K

$58.9 MYR 240

56.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.80 ₸21.6K

$33.06 MYR 135

44.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 ₸63.0K

$74.3 MYR 303

87.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₸59.4K

$88.2 MYR 360

49.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$777 ₸351.2K

$387 MYR 1,578

100.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 ₸223.4K

$253 MYR 1,030

95.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 ₸650.4K

$596 MYR 2,433

141.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 ₸409.2K

$447 MYR 1,823

102.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,470 ₸1.1M

$1,936 MYR 7,900

27.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,517 ₸685.7K

$1,216 MYR 4,962

24.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 ₸387.2K

$418 MYR 1,707

104.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

4.06

408.62%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 18, 2026

Last update for Tawau: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$494 36.3%

Tawau

$253 28.4% 48.9% $241

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$251 18.4%

Tawau

$260 29.2% 3.6% $9

Eating Out

Almaty

$204 15%

Tawau

$103 11.6% 49.5% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.6%

Tawau

$114 12.9% 38% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$119 8.8%

Tawau

$89 10% 25.7% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$83 6.1%

Tawau

$51 5.7% 38.4% $32

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Tawau

$19 2.1% 31.9% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $777 in Almaty versus $387 in Tawau. 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 105% 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 $43.00 in Almaty versus $19.00 in Tawau. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Almaty vs $260 in Tawau – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇲🇾 Tawau

🕒 Local time

06:11 6:11 AM

08:11 8:11 AM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

420,806

💱 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 21, 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 21, 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 Tawau 5,910 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Tawau

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 Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 53%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,044 per month in Almaty and $1,332 in Tawau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tawau, 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 $43.00 in Almaty and $19.00 in Tawau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,363 in Almaty and $888 in Tawau. That's a gap of about 53%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tawau, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Almaty at $1,363. In Tawau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tawau – 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 Tawau. 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.