Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Yilan

For one person, living is cheaper in Yilan: $1,008 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Yilan
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Yilan Living Index

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Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Yilan

🇹🇼 Taiwan

$1,008

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Yilan

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

A single person spends $1,372 per month in Almaty vs $1,008 in Yilan, rent included.

Almaty $1,372
Yilan $1,008

A couple spends around $2,142 per month in Almaty vs $1,731 in Yilan, rent included.

Almaty $2,142
Yilan $1,731

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Almaty vs $2,455 in Yilan, rent included.

Almaty $2,913
Yilan $2,455

Almaty costs about 36% more than Yilan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Almaty sits 2% above the global median, while Yilan is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 ₸5,949

$3.55 NT$115

270.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 ₸20.3K

$29.99 NT$973

49.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,022

$4.61 NT$149

93.06%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ₸1,469

$2.88 NT$93.5

12.85%

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

$1.41 ₸639

$1.03 NT$33.33

36.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸399

$0.65 NT$21.18

35.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₸1,513

$1.52 NT$49.41

120.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₸1,827

$2.88 NT$93.4

40.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸762

$3.16 NT$102

-46.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ₸390

$1.71 NT$55.3

-49.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ₸917

$2.74 NT$88.7

-25.91%

Eggs

$2.43 ₸1,100

$2.62 NT$84.9

-7.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 ₸5,632

$28.52 NT$925

-56.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 ₸3,033

$8.15 NT$264

-17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 ₸4,905

$17.07 NT$554

-36.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$4.36 NT$142

-58.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₸1,018

$1.89 NT$61.3

19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ₸1,314

$3.10 NT$100

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₸1,243

$2.17 NT$70.5

26.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸337

$1.19 NT$38.51

-36.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸248

$1.88 NT$61.1

-70.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 ₸732

$2.41 NT$78.0

-32.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸474

$0.86 NT$27.78

22.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₸1,167

$3.87 NT$125

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.15 ₸5,042

$15.70 NT$509

-28.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸547

$1.40 NT$45.55

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₸1,104

$2.45 NT$79.3

-0.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.75 NT$24.37

-65.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 ₸9,957

$36.68 NT$1,189

-39.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₸611

$2.75 NT$89.1

-50.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸288

$0.97 NT$31.37

-34.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 ₸5,044

$9.39 NT$305

18.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 ₸324

$1.02 NT$33.23

-29.41%

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

$22.5K ₸10.2M

$25.1K NT$814.8K

-10.37%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$19.5K NT$633.9K

54.85%

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

$91.8 ₸41.5K

$47.16 NT$1,529

94.68%

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

$10.66 ₸4,820

$15.12 NT$490

-29.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.86 ₸8,072

$21.30 NT$691

-16.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 ₸31.8K

$31.11 NT$1,009

126.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.60 ₸12.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ₸3,064

$7.85 NT$255

-13.63%

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

$449 ₸202.9K

$340 NT$11.0K

32.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ₸5.5M

$16.6K NT$537.7K

-26.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 ₸40.7K

$54.9 NT$1,781

63.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.02 ₸21.3K

$31.44 NT$1,020

49.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸64.1K

$84.0 NT$2,723

68.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 ₸60.0K

$62.2 NT$2,016

113.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 ₸363.7K

$275 NT$8,930

192.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ₸225.9K

$254 NT$8,237

96.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 ₸645.9K

$995 NT$32.3K

43.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 ₸408.8K

$727 NT$23.6K

24.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₸1.1M

$7,893 NT$256.0K

-68.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 ₸704.7K

$4,975 NT$161.3K

-68.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$870 ₸393.3K

$1,041 NT$33.8K

-16.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

2.27

809.69%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Last update for Yilan: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Almaty

$500 36.4%

Yilan

$254 25.2% 49.2% $246

Groceries & Markets

Almaty

$250 18.3%

Yilan

$375 37.2% 49.6% $124

Eating Out

Almaty

$205 14.9%

Yilan

$97 9.6% 52.7% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Almaty

$185 13.5%

Yilan

$105 10.4% 43.5% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Almaty

$120 8.8%

Yilan

$84 8.3% 30.5% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Almaty

$84 6.1%

Yilan

$47 4.7% 44.2% $37

Getting Around

Almaty

$28 2%

Yilan

$47 4.7% 71.3% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Almaty versus $275 in Yilan. 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 20% higher in Yilan, 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 $30.00 in Yilan. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Almaty vs $375 in Yilan – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Almaty

🇹🇼 Yilan

🕒 Local time

07:23 7:23 AM

09:23 9:23 AM

2 h ahead of Almaty

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,475,400

95,907

💱 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

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Highest

Between locations

Almaty Yilan 4,540 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Almaty
Yilan

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 Yilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 36%, 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 $1,512 in Yilan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yilan, 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 $30.00 in Yilan. 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 $1,008 in Yilan. That's a gap of about 36%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yilan, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Yilan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yilan – 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 Yilan. 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.