Cost of Living Comparison Between Astana and Alga Cost of Living Comparison Between Astana and Alga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $912 in Astana versus $717 in Alga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,422 in Astana versus $1,158 in Alga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,933 in Astana versus $1,599 in Alga.

Living in Astana is roughly 27% more expensive than Alga, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Astana 32% lower, Alga 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 ₸3,936

$7.77 ₸3,776

4.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.85 ₸14.0K

$27.29 ₸13.3K

5.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 ₸2,797

$6.67 ₸3,240

-13.64%

Cappuccino

$2.19 ₸1,066

$1.82 ₸886

20.33%

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

$0.91 ₸444

$0.93 ₸452

-2.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₸259

$0.52 ₸254

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₸554

$1.14 ₸556

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₸1,432

$1.88 ₸913

56.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ₸492

$1.09 ₸531

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₸245

$0.41 ₸200

21.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ₸680

$1.41 ₸687

-0.71%

Eggs

$1.79 ₸868

$1.52 ₸737

17.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ₸4,537

$8.73 ₸4,239

6.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 ₸2,300

$4.57 ₸2,222

3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 ₸3,381

$7.27 ₸3,531

-4.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 ₸661

$1.33 ₸647

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ₸907

$1.89 ₸918

-1.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₸935

$1.93 ₸936

-0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 ₸959

$1.91 ₸930

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₸283

$0.58 ₸282

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸183

$0.40 ₸195

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₸495

$0.99 ₸480

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₸364

$0.73 ₸353

2.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 ₸878

$1.97 ₸958

-8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 ₸4,440

$7.30 ₸3,548

25.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₸497

$0.92 ₸448

10.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₸823

$1.54 ₸748

10.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₸102

$0.19 ₸94.2

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.56 ₸7,075

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₸868

$0.93 ₸453

92.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₸345

$0.63 ₸304

12.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 ₸2,191

$4.78 ₸2,321

-5.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 ₸226

$0.47 ₸227

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

$20.7K ₸10.1M

$19.8K ₸9.6M

4.99%

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

$24.7K ₸12.0M

$24.5K ₸11.9M

1.04%

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

$53.9 ₸26.2K

$51.0 ₸24.8K

5.85%

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

$8.00 ₸3,888

$8.50 ₸4,130

-5.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.90 ₸6,751

$12.87 ₸6,250

8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.83 ₸24.2K

$32.57 ₸15.8K

52.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ₸5,419

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 ₸2,572

$4.36 ₸2,118

21.56%

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

$238 ₸115.8K

$210 ₸102.1K

13.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,790 ₸2.3M

$4,962 ₸2.4M

-3.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ₸27.1K

$57.1 ₸27.7K

-2.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ₸16.9K

$34.88 ₸16.9K

-0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 ₸43.1K

$89.3 ₸43.4K

-0.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 ₸41.8K

$77.8 ₸37.8K

10.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ₸232.1K

$315 ₸152.8K

51.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ₸159.2K

$206 ₸100.2K

58.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 ₸412.2K

$516 ₸250.6K

64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₸290.3K

$383 ₸186.2K

55.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,378 ₸669.5K

$1,012 ₸491.5K

36.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 ₸482.3K

$819 ₸397.7K

21.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$798 ₸387.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.12

18.39

-12.34%

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

Last update for Astana: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alga: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $478 in Astana and $315 in Alga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Astana vs $27.00 in Alga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $170 per month, with Alga cheaper across the board.

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

Astana vs Alga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alga wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Astana. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,367 in Astana and $1,076 in Alga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $478 in Astana versus $315 in Alga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Astana. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $912 per month in Astana versus $717 in Alga – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $717 in Alga versus $912 in Astana, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alga but tight or insufficient in Astana. The gap between the two cities makes Alga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $717 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Astana and Alga are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Astana. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.