Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Astana and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Astana: $1,131 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Astana
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Astana Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index

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Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,131

/mo nomad

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Astana and in Almaty

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Astana and in Almaty actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,131 per month in Astana vs $1,372 in Almaty, rent included.

Astana $1,131
Almaty $1,372

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Astana vs $2,142 in Almaty, rent included.

Astana $1,809
Almaty $2,142

A family of three spends $2,486 per month in Astana vs $2,913 in Almaty, rent included.

Astana $2,486
Almaty $2,913

Astana is about 18% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Astana sits 16% below the global median, while Almaty is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₸4,953

$13.16 ₸5,949

-16.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 ₸17.4K

$44.86 ₸20.3K

-14.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 ₸3,443

$8.90 ₸4,022

-14.38%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₸1,191

$3.25 ₸1,469

-18.77%

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

$1.11 ₸500

$1.41 ₸639

-21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₸282

$0.88 ₸399

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₸586

$3.35 ₸1,513

-61.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₸988

$4.04 ₸1,827

-45.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ₸578

$1.69 ₸762

-24.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₸286

$0.86 ₸390

-26.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₸741

$2.03 ₸917

-19.21%

Eggs

$2.23 ₸1,007

$2.43 ₸1,100

-8.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 ₸5,383

$12.46 ₸5,632

-4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 ₸2,637

$6.71 ₸3,033

-13.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 ₸4,730

$10.85 ₸4,905

-3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ₸823

$1.80 ₸813

1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₸1,046

$2.25 ₸1,018

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ₸1,001

$2.91 ₸1,314

-24.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₸985

$2.75 ₸1,243

-20.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₸297

$0.75 ₸337

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₸208

$0.55 ₸248

-16.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ₸694

$1.62 ₸732

-4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸397

$1.05 ₸474

-16.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₸974

$2.58 ₸1,167

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 ₸5,080

$11.15 ₸5,042

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₸617

$1.21 ₸547

12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₸1,100

$2.44 ₸1,104

-0.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₸103

$0.26 ₸117

-11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.87 ₸7,625

$22.03 ₸9,957

-23.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ₸998

$1.35 ₸611

63.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 ₸509

$0.64 ₸288

76.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 ₸2,951

$11.16 ₸5,044

-41.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 ₸285

$0.72 ₸324

-12.50%

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

$24.4K ₸11.1M

$22.5K ₸10.2M

8.56%

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

$30.7K ₸13.9M

$30.3K ₸13.7M

1.33%

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

$68.5 ₸30.9K

$91.8 ₸41.5K

-25.43%

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

$10.25 ₸4,633

$10.66 ₸4,820

-3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.92 ₸8,101

$17.86 ₸8,072

0.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₸25.5K

$70.3 ₸31.8K

-19.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.43 ₸9,237

$27.60 ₸12.5K

-25.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ₸2,947

$6.78 ₸3,064

-3.83%

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

$369 ₸166.9K

$449 ₸202.9K

-17.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ₸5.4M

$12.1K ₸5.5M

-1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 ₸29.9K

$89.9 ₸40.7K

-26.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.16 ₸20.9K

$47.02 ₸21.3K

-1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₸53.5K

$142 ₸64.1K

-16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₸58.9K

$133 ₸60.0K

-1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 ₸261.5K

$805 ₸363.7K

-28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₸176.0K

$500 ₸225.9K

-22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 ₸518.1K

$1,429 ₸645.9K

-19.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₸346.8K

$904 ₸408.8K

-15.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,523 ₸688.6K

$2,503 ₸1.1M

-39.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,124 ₸508.2K

$1,559 ₸704.7K

-27.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 ₸400.7K

$870 ₸393.3K

1.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.5

20.65

-24.94%

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

Last update for Astana: October 10, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Astana

$389 34.4%

Almaty

$500 36.4% 28.3% $110

Groceries & Markets

Astana

$227 20.1%

Almaty

$250 18.3% 10.1% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Astana

$162 14.4%

Almaty

$185 13.5% 14% $23

Eating Out

Astana

$160 14.1%

Almaty

$205 14.9% 28.2% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Astana

$97 8.5%

Almaty

$120 8.8% 24.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Astana

$70 6.2%

Almaty

$84 6.1% 20.7% $14

Getting Around

Astana

$26 2.3%

Almaty

$28 2% 7.7% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Astana versus $805 in Almaty. 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 2% higher in Astana, 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 $38.00 in Astana versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $250 – making Astana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Astana

🇰🇿 Almaty

🕒 Local time

18:15 6:15 PM

Same time as Astana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

814,400 Capital

1,475,400

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Astana Almaty 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Astana
Almaty

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

Astana vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,696 per month in Astana and $2,058 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Astana, 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 $38.00 in Astana and $45.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,131 in Astana and $1,372 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 21%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Astana, where all-in costs run around $1,131, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Astana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Astana – 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 Astana. 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.