Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Guayaquil: $1,136 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Guayaquil
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,136
/mo nomad
Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,136 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,372 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Guayaquil $1,136
  • Almaty $1,372

A couple spends around $1,775 per month in Guayaquil vs $2,142 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Guayaquil $1,775
  • Almaty $2,142

A family of three spends $2,413 per month in Guayaquil vs $2,913 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Guayaquil $2,413
  • Almaty $2,913

Guayaquil is about 17% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Guayaquil sits 16% below the global median, while Almaty is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.94 $3.94
$13.16 ₸5,949
-70.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.6 $52.6
$44.86 ₸20.3K
17.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.15 $9.15
$8.90 ₸4,022
2.81%
Cappuccino
$2.82 $2.82
$3.25 ₸1,469
-13.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 $0.91
$1.41 ₸639
-35.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 $0.74
$0.88 ₸399
-15.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 $3.05
$3.35 ₸1,513
-8.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 $4.15
$4.04 ₸1,827
2.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 $1.16
$1.69 ₸762
-31.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.98 $1.98
$0.86 ₸390
130.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 $1.47
$2.03 ₸917
-27.59%
Eggs
$2.07 $2.07
$2.43 ₸1,100
-14.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.02 $7.02
$12.46 ₸5,632
-43.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.18 $5.18
$6.71 ₸3,033
-22.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 $9.26
$10.85 ₸4,905
-14.65%
Apples (1kg)
$1.48 $1.48
$1.80 ₸813
-17.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.14 $1.14
$2.25 ₸1,018
-49.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.98 $0.98
$2.91 ₸1,314
-66.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.94 $0.94
$2.75 ₸1,243
-65.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.22 $1.22
$0.75 ₸337
62.67%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 $0.98
$0.55 ₸248
78.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.62 ₸732
-45.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.05 ₸474
-10.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.91 $5.91
$2.58 ₸1,167
129.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.19 $12.19
$11.15 ₸5,042
9.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 $1.55
$1.21 ₸547
28.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$2.44 ₸1,104
-10.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 $0.36
$0.26 ₸117
38.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.61 $19.61
$22.03 ₸9,957
-10.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.77 $2.77
$1.35 ₸611
105.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 $1.80
$0.64 ₸288
181.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.16 $12.16
$11.16 ₸5,044
8.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$0.72 ₸324
22.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K $21.1K
$22.5K ₸10.2M
-6.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.3K $31.3K
$30.3K ₸13.7M
3.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 $131
$91.8 ₸41.5K
42.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.76 $14.76
$10.66 ₸4,820
38.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.25 $26.25
$17.86 ₸8,072
46.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.30 $46.30
$70.3 ₸31.8K
-34.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.54 $26.54
$27.60 ₸12.5K
-3.84%
Cinema Ticket
$7.29 $7.29
$6.78 ₸3,064
7.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$378 $378
$449 ₸202.9K
-15.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,590 $5,590
$12.1K ₸5.5M
-53.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.2 $66.2
$89.9 ₸40.7K
-26.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.10 $41.10
$47.02 ₸21.3K
-12.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 $124
$142 ₸64.1K
-12.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.8 $93.8
$133 ₸60.0K
-29.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 $476
$805 ₸363.7K
-40.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$401 $401
$500 ₸225.9K
-19.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$800 $800
$1,429 ₸645.9K
-44.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$740 $740
$904 ₸408.8K
-18.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,275 $2,275
$2,503 ₸1.1M
-9.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,451 $1,451
$1,559 ₸704.7K
-6.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guayaquil
Almaty
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$612 $612
$870 ₸393.3K
-29.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.05
20.65
-51.33%

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

Last update for Guayaquil: October 12, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Guayaquil
$401
Almaty
$500 24.6% $99
Groceries & Markets
Guayaquil
$200
Almaty
$250 25.1% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guayaquil
$172
Almaty
$120 30% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Guayaquil
$146
Almaty
$185 26.7% $39
Eating Out
Guayaquil
$123
Almaty
$205 66.6% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Guayaquil
$61
Almaty
$84 37.8% $23
Getting Around
Guayaquil
$33
Almaty
$28 15.9% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Guayaquil versus $805 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 42% 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 $250 in Almaty – so Guayaquil wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Guayaquil
🇰🇿 Almaty
🕒 Local time
11:04 11:04 AM
22:04 10:04 PM
11 h ahead of Guayaquil
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,500,000
1,475,400
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guayaquil Almaty 14,930 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guayaquil
  • 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
Guayaquil vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Almaty cheaper than Guayaquil?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,704 per month in Guayaquil and $2,058 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 $1,136 in Guayaquil and $1,372 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 21%.
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 $1,136, than in Almaty at $1,372. 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.

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