Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Heyuan and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Heyuan: $792 a month against $1,363 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Heyuan
🇨🇳 China
$792
/mo nomad
Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,363
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $792 per month in Heyuan vs $1,372 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Heyuan $792
  • Almaty $1,372

A couple spends around $1,284 per month in Heyuan vs $2,142 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Heyuan $1,284
  • Almaty $2,142

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Heyuan vs $2,913 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Heyuan $1,776
  • Almaty $2,913

Heyuan is about 42% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Heyuan sits 42% below the global median, while Almaty is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 ¥20.44
$13.05 ₸5,899
-76.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.30 ¥196
$43.44 ₸19.6K
-32.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.34 ¥35.68
$8.76 ₸3,962
-39.04%
Cappuccino
$3.06 ¥20.47
$3.32 ₸1,501
-7.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58 ¥3.87
$1.34 ₸607
-56.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ¥2.25
$0.83 ₸374
-59.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.36 ¥9.11
$3.36 ₸1,518
-59.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 ¥18.38
$4.02 ₸1,818
-31.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 ¥11.95
$1.65 ₸747
8.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 ¥12.75
$0.93 ₸421
105.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 ¥7.39
$2.05 ₸927
-45.85%
Eggs
$1.52 ¥10.19
$2.46 ₸1,113
-38.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.29 ¥109
$12.49 ₸5,646
30.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.14 ¥34.37
$6.71 ₸3,035
-23.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 ¥81.8
$10.85 ₸4,905
12.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ¥15.28
$1.78 ₸807
28.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ¥8.18
$2.25 ₸1,018
-45.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 ¥9.22
$2.87 ₸1,299
-51.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.78 ¥11.89
$2.71 ₸1,227
-34.32%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 ¥6.40
$0.80 ₸362
20.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 ¥7.92
$0.55 ₸249
114.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.83 ¥5.55
$1.62 ₸732
-48.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 ¥4.44
$1.00 ₸453
-34.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.90 ¥26.04
$2.58 ₸1,167
51.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 ¥71.1
$11.15 ₸5,039
-4.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 ¥6.79
$1.26 ₸572
-19.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 ¥12.71
$2.48 ₸1,120
-23.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 ¥2.10
$0.28 ₸128
10.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.71 ¥118
$22.05 ₸9,970
-19.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 ¥12.32
$1.34 ₸607
37.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 ¥2.89
$0.64 ₸288
-32.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.19 ¥48.04
$11.04 ₸4,993
-34.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ¥8.88
$0.72 ₸326
84.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K ¥128.1K
$28.1K ₸12.7M
-31.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.7K ¥118.6K
$31.8K ₸14.4M
-44.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.4 ¥410
$90.5 ₸40.9K
-32.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.39 ¥110
$10.63 ₸4,805
54.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.49 ¥96.9
$18.12 ₸8,190
-20.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.17 ¥275
$69.0 ₸31.2K
-40.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.11 ¥101
$26.98 ₸12.2K
-44.00%
Cinema Ticket
$6.54 ¥43.72
$6.77 ₸3,062
-3.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$422 ¥2,823
$444 ₸200.6K
-4.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.4K ¥163.4K
$12.0K ₸5.4M
104.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.24 ¥329
$91.9 ₸41.5K
-46.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.47 ¥277
$47.80 ₸21.6K
-13.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.1 ¥542
$139 ₸63.0K
-41.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.9 ¥467
$131 ₸59.4K
-46.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$303 ¥2,026
$777 ₸351.2K
-61.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$182 ¥1,218
$494 ₸223.4K
-63.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$623 ¥4,165
$1,439 ₸650.4K
-56.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$375 ¥2,507
$905 ₸409.2K
-58.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,487 ¥23.3K
$2,470 ₸1.1M
41.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,937 ¥13.0K
$1,517 ₸685.7K
27.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Heyuan
Almaty
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,362 ¥9,104
$857 ₸387.2K
58.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.38
20.65
-83.63%

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

Last update for Heyuan: October 19, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Heyuan
$239
Almaty
$251 5% $12
Accommodation & Living
Heyuan
$182
Almaty
$494 171% $312
Clothing & Footwear
Heyuan
$109
Almaty
$185 69.8% $76
Eating Out
Heyuan
$93
Almaty
$204 119% $111
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Heyuan
$92
Almaty
$119 29.3% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Heyuan
$54
Almaty
$83 52.1% $28
Getting Around
Heyuan
$23
Almaty
$28 20.6% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $303 in Heyuan 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 56% higher in Heyuan, 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 $29.00 in Heyuan versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $250 – making Heyuan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Heyuan
🇰🇿 Almaty
🕒 Local time
17:50 5:50 PM
15:50 3:50 PM
2 h behind Heyuan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,953,019
1,475,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Heyuan Almaty 4,070 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Heyuan
  • 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
Heyuan vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Almaty cheaper than Heyuan?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 73%, 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 $1,188 per month in Heyuan 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 Heyuan, 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 Heyuan or in Almaty?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Heyuan 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 Heyuan and in Almaty?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $792 in Heyuan and $1,372 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 73%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Heyuan or in Almaty?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Heyuan, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Heyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Heyuan or Almaty more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Heyuan – 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 Heyuan. 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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