Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Zunyi

For one person, living is cheaper in Zunyi: $708 a month against $1,387 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,387
/mo nomad
Zunyi
🇨🇳 China
$708
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Zunyi

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

A single person spends $1,387 per month in Almaty vs $708 in Zunyi, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,387
  • Zunyi $708

A couple spends around $2,135 per month in Almaty vs $1,132 in Zunyi, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,135
  • Zunyi $1,132

A family of three spends $2,883 per month in Almaty vs $1,556 in Zunyi, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,883
  • Zunyi $1,556

Almaty costs about 96% more than Zunyi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Almaty sits 3% above the global median, while Zunyi is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.31 ₸6,005
$2.85 ¥19.08
367.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 ₸19.6K
$21.67 ¥145
100.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.80 ₸3,969
$4.79 ¥32.01
83.72%
Cappuccino
$3.30 ₸1,490
$3.09 ¥20.63
6.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 ₸617
$0.44 ¥2.92
211.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₸407
$0.29 ¥1.95
210.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 ₸1,412
$0.95 ¥6.36
229.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.10 ₸1,851
$2.11 ¥14.10
94.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ₸750
$1.85 ¥12.37
-10.27%
White Bread (500g)
$0.90 ₸404
$1.62 ¥10.84
-44.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.06 ₸929
$0.97 ¥6.45
112.37%
Eggs
$2.37 ₸1,069
$1.52 ¥10.19
55.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.64 ₸5,702
$13.05 ¥87.2
-3.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 ₸2,985
$3.14 ¥20.97
110.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.87 ₸4,904
$10.34 ¥69.1
5.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ₸841
$1.81 ¥12.09
2.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.37 ₸1,070
$1.21 ¥8.06
95.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 ₸1,351
$1.55 ¥10.37
92.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.83 ₸1,276
$1.14 ¥7.65
148.25%
Potato (1kg)
$0.77 ₸346
$0.75 ¥5.04
2.67%
Onion (1kg)
$0.58 ₸263
$0.91 ¥6.11
-36.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.59 ₸719
$0.55 ¥3.69
189.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 ₸447
$0.55 ¥3.67
80.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54 ₸1,147
$3.22 ¥21.53
-21.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 ₸4,981
$10.46 ¥69.9
5.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 ₸548
$0.74 ¥4.95
63.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 ₸1,087
$1.65 ¥11.00
46.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₸113
$0.27 ¥1.79
-7.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.84 ₸9,854
$16.92 ¥113
29.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ₸578
$1.35 ¥9.01
-5.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸290
$0.36 ¥2.38
77.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.74 ₸4,847
$6.50 ¥43.43
65.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.69 ₸313
$1.13 ¥7.55
-38.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K ₸10.1M
$19.3K ¥129.3K
15.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K ₸13.2M
$17.2K ¥114.7K
70.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.8 ₸39.6K
$45.89 ¥307
91.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.83 ₸4,886
$9.82 ¥65.6
10.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40 ₸7,850
$11.85 ¥79.2
46.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.7 ₸31.4K
$41.57 ¥278
67.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.58 ₸12.0K
$14.14 ¥94.5
87.98%
Cinema Ticket
$6.68 ₸3,016
$5.79 ¥38.72
15.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$446 ₸201.2K
$341 ¥2,277
30.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K ₸5.4M
$17.0K ¥113.9K
-30.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.7 ₸42.3K
$43.28 ¥289
116.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.91 ₸21.2K
$30.23 ¥202
55.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$143 ₸64.4K
$71.0 ¥475
100.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 ₸60.2K
$72.5 ¥485
83.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$773 ₸349.0K
$280 ¥1,872
176.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$497 ₸224.4K
$193 ¥1,291
157.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,390 ₸627.4K
$583 ¥3,897
138.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$880 ₸397.0K
$359 ¥2,402
144.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,546 ₸1.1M
$2,980 ¥19.9K
-14.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,506 ₸679.8K
$1,990 ¥13.3K
-24.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Zunyi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$834 ₸376.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
3.89
430.85%

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

Last update for Almaty: October 5, 2026

Last update for Zunyi: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$497
Zunyi
$193 61.1% $304
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$251
Zunyi
$200 20.6% $52
Eating Out
Almaty
$205
Zunyi
$86 58.1% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$188
Zunyi
$98 47.9% $90
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$116
Zunyi
$68 41.7% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$83
Zunyi
$53 36% $30
Getting Around
Almaty
$27
Zunyi
$21 22.7% $6.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Almaty versus $280 in Zunyi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Almaty versus $22.00 in Zunyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $200 – making Zunyi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇨🇳 Zunyi
🕒 Local time
12:43 12:43 PM
14:43 2:43 PM
2 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
6,606,675
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 451 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Zunyi 3,190 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Zunyi

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 Zunyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zunyi cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 96%, 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 $2,080 per month in Almaty and $1,063 in Zunyi. 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 Zunyi, 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 Zunyi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Almaty and $22.00 in Zunyi. 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 Zunyi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,387 in Almaty and $708 in Zunyi. That's a gap of about 96%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Zunyi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zunyi, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Almaty at $1,387. In Zunyi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Zunyi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Zunyi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Zunyi. 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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