Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan Lepas and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Bayan Lepas: $737 a month against $1,387 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Bayan Lepas
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Bayan Lepas Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index

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Bayan Lepas

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$737

/mo nomad

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,387

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bayan Lepas 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 Bayan Lepas and in Almaty actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $737 per month in Bayan Lepas vs $1,387 in Almaty, rent included.

Bayan Lepas $737
Almaty $1,387

A couple spends around $1,228 per month in Bayan Lepas vs $2,135 in Almaty, rent included.

Bayan Lepas $1,228
Almaty $2,135

A family of three spends $1,718 per month in Bayan Lepas vs $2,883 in Almaty, rent included.

Bayan Lepas $1,718
Almaty $2,883

Bayan Lepas is about 47% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bayan Lepas sits 45% below the global median, while Almaty is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.71

$13.31 ₸5,991

-76.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.08 MYR 69.8

$43.37 ₸19.5K

-60.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.07 MYR 16.63

$8.80 ₸3,959

-53.75%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.54

$3.30 ₸1,486

-14.55%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$1.37 ₸616

-37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$0.90 ₸406

-34.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 MYR 19.44

$3.13 ₸1,409

52.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 MYR 19.56

$4.10 ₸1,847

16.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 MYR 10.21

$1.66 ₸749

50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$0.90 ₸403

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 MYR 3.68

$2.06 ₸927

-56.31%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.29

$2.37 ₸1,067

-14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 ₸5,689

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.96

$6.62 ₸2,978

-48.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 MYR 27.60

$10.87 ₸4,893

-37.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.58

$1.86 ₸839

65.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.52

$2.37 ₸1,067

-32.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 MYR 12.88

$2.99 ₸1,348

5.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.88

$2.83 ₸1,273

-57.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$0.77 ₸345

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.93

$0.58 ₸262

108.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$1.59 ₸718

-55.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.74

$0.99 ₸446

-32.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 MYR 20.75

$2.54 ₸1,145

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.89 MYR 81.3

$11.04 ₸4,969

80.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₸546

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₸1,085

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MYR 2.74

$0.25 ₸113

168.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.74 MYR 60.3

$21.84 ₸9,831

-32.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 MYR 6.57

$1.28 ₸577

25.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₸289

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.74 ₸4,836

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.04

$0.69 ₸312

7.25%

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

$22.3K ₸10.0M

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

$29.3K ₸13.2M

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

$24.26 MYR 99.2

$87.8 ₸39.5K

-72.36%

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

$11.88 MYR 48.55

$10.83 ₸4,874

9.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.77 MYR 126

$17.40 ₸7,831

76.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 MYR 121

$69.7 ₸31.4K

-57.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 MYR 29.68

$26.58 ₸12.0K

-72.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.89

$6.68 ₸3,009

-27.10%

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

$446 ₸200.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ₸5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.73 MYR 162

$93.7 ₸42.2K

-57.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.50 MYR 108

$46.91 ₸21.1K

-43.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 MYR 267

$143 ₸64.3K

-54.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 MYR 337

$133 ₸60.1K

-38.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 MYR 792

$773 ₸348.1K

-74.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 MYR 908

$497 ₸223.9K

-55.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 MYR 2,038

$1,390 ₸625.9K

-64.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,350

$880 ₸396.0K

-34.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,546 ₸1.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,506 ₸678.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$970 MYR 3,965

$834 ₸375.2K

16.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

20.65

-83.05%

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

Last update for Bayan Lepas: October 5, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bayan Lepas

$222 30.1%

Almaty

$497 36.4% 124% $275

Groceries & Markets

Bayan Lepas

$184 * 25%

Almaty

$251 18.4% 36.5% $67

Eating Out

Bayan Lepas

$110 14.9%

Almaty

$205 15% 86.6% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Bayan Lepas

$96 13%

Almaty

$188 13.7% 94.9% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bayan Lepas

$67 9.1%

Almaty

$116 8.5% 73.3% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Bayan Lepas

$39 5.3%

Almaty

$83 6.1% 112% $44

Getting Around

Bayan Lepas

$19 * 2.6%

Almaty

$27 2% 43.6% $8.3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Bayan Lepas versus $773 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 16% higher in Bayan Lepas, 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 $17.00 in Bayan Lepas versus $43.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $251 – making Bayan Lepas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Bayan Lepas

🇰🇿 Almaty

🕒 Local time

13:15 1:15 PM

11:15 11:15 AM

2 h behind Bayan Lepas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

217,600

1,475,400

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.09 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 450 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bayan Lepas Almaty 4,800 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Bayan Lepas
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

Bayan Lepas vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 88%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,106 per month in Bayan Lepas and $2,080 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bayan Lepas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $737 in Bayan Lepas and $1,387 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 88%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Bayan Lepas and $43.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bayan Lepas, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Almaty at $1,387. In Bayan Lepas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bayan Lepas – 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 Bayan Lepas. 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.