🙂A single person spends $1,109 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,364 in Almaty, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,765 per month in Guayaquil vs $2,124 in Almaty, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,422 per month in Guayaquil vs $2,885 in Almaty, rent included.
🙂Guayaquil is about 19% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Guayaquil and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Guayaquil19% lower, Almaty1% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.12$4.12
$12.92₸5,921
-68.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.7$52.7
$45.03₸20.6K
17.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.10$9.10
$8.61₸3,943
5.69%
Cappuccino
$2.81$2.81
$3.15₸1,441
-10.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90$0.90
$1.33₸609
-32.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71$0.71
$0.82₸374
-13.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.98$2.98
$2.43₸1,111
22.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55$4.55
$3.92₸1,794
16.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.16$1.16
$1.65₸754
-29.70%
White Bread(500g)
$2.00$2.00
$0.81₸369
146.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.45$1.45
$2.08₸955
-30.29%
Eggs
$2.07$2.07
$2.30₸1,055
-10.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.11$7.11
$12.23₸5,602
-41.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.01$5.01
$6.66₸3,049
-24.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.20$9.20
$10.73₸4,916
-14.26%
Apples(1kg)
$1.52$1.52
$1.85₸848
-17.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.19$1.19
$2.36₸1,081
-49.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.99$0.99
$2.90₸1,327
-65.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.90$0.90
$2.77₸1,269
-67.51%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28$1.28
$0.75₸345
70.67%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91$0.91
$0.57₸262
59.65%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.82$0.82
$1.60₸731
-48.75%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02$1.02
$0.97₸444
5.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.04$6.04
$2.57₸1,179
135.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.10$12.10
$10.75₸4,927
12.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49$1.49
$1.17₸536
27.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20$2.20
$2.38₸1,090
-7.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34$0.34
$0.25₸114
36.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.66$19.66
$21.05₸9,644
-6.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.80$2.80
$1.33₸608
110.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.72$1.72
$0.63₸289
173.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$12.19$12.19
$10.91₸4,998
11.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.83$0.83
$0.67₸309
23.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K$21.1K
$26.2K₸12.0M
-19.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7K$30.7K
$29.5K₸13.5M
3.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$127$127
$90.4₸41.4K
40.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.97$14.97
$10.95₸5,016
36.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.14$25.14
$17.47₸8,003
43.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.01$46.01
$75.1₸34.4K
-38.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.48$26.48
$29.29₸13.4K
-9.59%
Cinema Ticket
$7.72$7.72
$6.32₸2,896
22.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$407$407
$425₸194.9K
-4.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,935$5,935
$11.6K₸5.3M
-48.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.6$65.6
$86.7₸39.7K
-24.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.34$40.34
$46.71₸21.4K
-13.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$123$123
$139₸63.7K
-11.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.5$91.5
$133₸60.7K
-30.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$461$461
$791₸362.3K
-41.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$399$399
$498₸228.0K
-19.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$803$803
$1,432₸656.1K
-43.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$738$738
$912₸418.0K
-19.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,333$2,333
$2,446₸1.1M
-4.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,437$1,437
$1,504₸689.1K
-4.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$611$611
$850₸389.2K
-28.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.05
20.61
-51.24%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Guayaquil: September 1, 2026
Last update for Almaty: September 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Guayaquil versus $791 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 39% higher in Almaty, 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 $53.0 in Guayaquil versus $45.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Guayaquil vs $247 in Almaty – so Guayaquil 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
Guayaquil vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Almaty cheaper than Guayaquil?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,663 per month in Guayaquil and $2,046 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guayaquil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Guayaquil or in Almaty?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Guayaquil and $45.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Guayaquil and in Almaty?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,109 in Guayaquil and $1,364 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Guayaquil or in Almaty?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guayaquil, where all-in costs run around $1,109, than in Almaty at $1,364. In Guayaquil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Guayaquil or Almaty more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Guayaquil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Guayaquil. 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.