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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $763 per month in Chengdu vs $827 in Aktobe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Chengdu vs $1,284 in Aktobe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,688 per month in Chengdu vs $1,741 in Aktobe, rent included.

Chengdu is about 8% cheaper than Aktobe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chengdu and Aktobe are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 44% lower, Aktobe 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 ¥19.46

$6.95 ₸3,183

-58.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.18 ¥135

$34.95 ₸16.0K

-42.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥34.79

$6.57 ₸3,009

-21.16%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ¥19.70

$2.22 ₸1,016

32.43%

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

$0.48 ¥3.19

$1.24 ₸567

-61.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.57 ₸262

-50.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$1.76 ₸807

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ¥16.75

$2.75 ₸1,262

-9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.82

$1.26 ₸579

39.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ¥11.00

$0.36 ₸166

355.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$1.05 ₸481

-10.48%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.30

$1.51 ₸693

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 ¥95.2

$7.48 ₸3,425

89.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ¥23.54

$5.59 ₸2,562

-37.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 ¥74.1

$8.58 ₸3,931

28.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.21

$1.59 ₸727

14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$2.20 ₸1,010

-42.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.11

$2.37 ₸1,087

-55.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.39

$1.90 ₸869

-34.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.64

$0.79 ₸361

-12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.84

$0.39 ₸181

84.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$0.82 ₸377

-10.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.93

$0.62 ₸286

-4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 ¥24.33

$2.32 ₸1,063

56.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.47 ¥36.68

$5.40 ₸2,476

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.29

$1.11 ₸509

-28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ¥10.27

$1.81 ₸830

-15.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.17 ₸78.5

152.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 ¥167

$17.19 ₸7,877

45.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 ¥8.82

$1.11 ₸509

18.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$0.72 ₸331

-59.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥29.37

$5.38 ₸2,464

-18.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.22

$0.64 ₸293

92.19%

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

$19.4K ¥130.0K

$23.2K ₸10.6M

-16.59%

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

$17.4K ¥116.9K

$29.6K ₸13.6M

-41.17%

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

$41.04 ¥275

$54.9 ₸25.1K

-25.19%

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

$9.46 ¥63.5

$10.16 ₸4,655

-6.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.83 ¥86.1

$20.89 ₸9,571

-38.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.45 ¥184

$46.10 ₸21.1K

-40.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 ¥74.0

$11.95 ₸5,474

-7.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ¥40.41

$5.40 ₸2,472

11.48%

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

$410 ¥2,751

$213 ₸97.8K

92.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥99.1K

$3,219 ₸1.5M

358.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.78 ¥193

$48.54 ₸22.2K

-40.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.21 ¥196

$51.6 ₸23.6K

-43.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 ¥408

$110 ₸50.5K

-44.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.7 ¥353

$99.2 ₸45.5K

-46.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 ¥3,265

$304 ₸139.2K

60.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 ¥1,716

$220 ₸100.6K

16.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 ¥5,700

$447 ₸204.8K

90.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ¥3,660

$343 ₸157.1K

59.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,813 ¥25.6K

$826 ₸378.4K

361.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,909 ¥12.8K

$523 ₸239.7K

264.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,284 ¥8,614

$542 ₸248.3K

136.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

-80.12%

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

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Chengdu versus $304 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 137% higher in Chengdu, 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 $20.00 in Chengdu versus $35.00 in Aktobe. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Chengdu vs $177 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 – Aktobe is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,145 per month in Chengdu and $1,241 in Aktobe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Aktobe – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chengdu and $35.00 in Aktobe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $763 in Chengdu and $827 in Aktobe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – 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 Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aktobe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.