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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Chengdu vs $666 in Aktobe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Chengdu vs $1,065 in Aktobe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,477 per month in Chengdu vs $1,463 in Aktobe, rent included.

Chengdu costs about 3% 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

$2.85 ¥19.30

$7.95 ₸3,898

-64.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ¥162

$29.27 ₸14.3K

-18.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.72

$6.29 ₸3,083

-20.67%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥18.73

$1.78 ₸873

55.62%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$1.40 ₸684

-67.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.49 ₸240

-38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.53 ₸752

-26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$2.18 ₸1,068

-2.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.15 ₸562

56.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.38

$0.27 ₸133

414.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$1.10 ₸537

-18.18%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.59

$1.47 ₸719

26.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.1

$8.27 ₸4,053

64.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$4.82 ₸2,363

-26.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥76.0

$7.01 ₸3,433

60.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.61

$1.37 ₸670

35.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.99 ₸977

-40.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$2.32 ₸1,137

-35.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.01

$1.92 ₸941

-45.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.73

$0.79 ₸385

-11.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$0.29 ₸140

141.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.75 ₸368

-25.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.63 ₸311

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ¥21.91

$1.83 ₸896

77.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.77

$5.05 ₸2,473

7.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.78

$0.93 ₸454

7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.67

$1.54 ₸757

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.18 ₸86.4

127.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.31 ¥185

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.99 ₸485

23.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$1.03 ₸506

-74.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ¥27.62

$4.58 ₸2,244

-10.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$0.49 ₸238

132.65%

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

$18.7K ¥126.6K

$17.6K ₸8.6M

6.24%

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

$16.0K ¥108.4K

$19.3K ₸9.5M

-17.02%

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

$45.05 ¥305

$40.47 ₸19.8K

11.32%

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

$11.69 ¥79.1

$10.26 ₸5,028

13.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥77.0

$10.78 ₸5,281

5.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 ¥166

$28.77 ₸14.1K

-14.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ¥75.5

$9.68 ₸4,745

15.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ¥37.45

$4.95 ₸2,428

11.92%

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

$333 ¥2,249

$212 ₸103.7K

57.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥82.1K

$4,966 ₸2.4M

144.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.92 ¥256

$33.99 ₸16.7K

11.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.57 ¥261

$29.76 ₸14.6K

29.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$90.9 ₸44.6K

-25.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 ¥343

$63.9 ₸31.3K

-20.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥2,149

$225 ₸110.1K

41.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,213

$189 ₸92.4K

-4.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,128

$348 ₸170.6K

75.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥2,263

$282 ₸138.2K

18.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 ¥25.8K

$775 ₸379.8K

391.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 ¥13.0K

$487 ₸238.6K

294.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,257 ¥8,501

$510 ₸249.9K

146.57%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Chengdu versus $225 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 147% 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 – $196 in Chengdu vs $163 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 3%, 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 $1,033 per month in Chengdu and $999 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 $689 in Chengdu and $666 in Aktobe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $333 per month in Chengdu and $212 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 $689 in Chengdu and $666 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.