Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Aktobe Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Aktobe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in Chengdu vs $670 in Aktobe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Chengdu vs $1,054 in Aktobe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,472 per month in Chengdu vs $1,438 in Aktobe, rent included.

Chengdu costs about 1% more than Aktobe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chengdu and Aktobe are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 49% lower, Aktobe 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.09

$8.00 ₸3,765

-64.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 ¥163

$29.37 ₸13.8K

-18.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.66

$6.29 ₸2,962

-20.99%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ¥18.71

$1.78 ₸839

55.06%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$1.44 ₸680

-70.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.45 ₸214

-37.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.60 ₸753

-28.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.97

$2.10 ₸990

-1.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.28

$1.10 ₸517

64.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.39

$0.27 ₸128

414.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.06 ₸498

-12.26%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.50 ₸708

29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 ¥93.2

$8.04 ₸3,788

71.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ¥24.41

$4.78 ₸2,250

-24.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ¥76.6

$7.04 ₸3,317

60.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.94

$1.42 ₸668

34.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$2.00 ₸940

-39.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.18

$2.39 ₸1,124

-37.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.90

$1.90 ₸893

-46.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.81

$0.80 ₸375

-11.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$0.31 ₸147

125.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$0.82 ₸384

-26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.67 ₸316

-8.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.02

$1.89 ₸890

79.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 ¥37.19

$5.40 ₸2,543

1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$0.95 ₸449

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.53 ₸719

20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.14 ₸66.3

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.94 ¥189

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.38

$1.01 ₸475

22.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.96 ₸451

-70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 ¥28.15

$4.77 ₸2,245

-12.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.95

$0.49 ₸229

138.78%

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

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$17.9K ₸8.4M

3.01%

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

$16.7K ¥112.7K

$19.5K ₸9.2M

-14.66%

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

$44.66 ¥302

$40.67 ₸19.1K

9.81%

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

$11.53 ¥78.1

$10.26 ₸4,833

12.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥76.7

$10.83 ₸5,100

4.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.18 ¥164

$29.27 ₸13.8K

-17.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 ¥78.2

$9.66 ₸4,550

19.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ¥38.53

$4.78 ₸2,250

19.04%

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

$330 ¥2,232

$215 ₸101.4K

53.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.5K

$4,819 ₸2.3M

156.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.54 ¥254

$35.04 ₸16.5K

7.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 ¥260

$29.64 ₸14.0K

29.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ¥452

$91.0 ₸42.8K

-26.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.0 ¥339

$62.8 ₸29.6K

-20.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥2,165

$218 ₸102.4K

47.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ¥1,237

$186 ₸87.6K

-1.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,138

$354 ₸166.9K

72.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥2,224

$279 ₸131.4K

17.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,785 ¥25.6K

$777 ₸365.8K

387.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 ¥13.0K

$510 ₸240.0K

277.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,647

$510 ₸240.1K

150.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

18.39

-77.11%

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

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Chengdu versus $218 in Aktobe. 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 151% higher in Chengdu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $29.00 in Aktobe. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Chengdu vs $164 in Aktobe – so Aktobe wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chengdu vs Aktobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chengdu is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Chengdu and $1,005 in Aktobe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktobe, 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 $677 in Chengdu and $670 in Aktobe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $330 per month in Chengdu and $215 in Aktobe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in Chengdu and $670 in Aktobe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Aktobe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Aktobe. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chengdu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.