Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kajang, Selangor and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Kajang, Selangor: $988 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Kajang, Selangor
🇲🇾 Malaysia
$988
/mo nomad
Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $988 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $1,372 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Kajang, Selangor $988
  • Almaty $1,372

A couple spends around $1,448 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $2,142 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Kajang, Selangor $1,448
  • Almaty $2,142

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Kajang, Selangor vs $2,913 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Kajang, Selangor $1,909
  • Almaty $2,913

Kajang, Selangor is about 28% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kajang, Selangor sits 27% below the global median, while Almaty is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.76 MYR 15.34
$13.16 ₸5,949
-71.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.63 MYR 76.0
$44.86 ₸20.3K
-58.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.81 MYR 19.62
$8.90 ₸4,022
-45.96%
Cappuccino
$2.96 MYR 12.09
$3.25 ₸1,469
-8.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 MYR 3.26
$1.41 ₸639
-43.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 MYR 1.92
$0.88 ₸399
-46.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.35 MYR 17.76
$3.35 ₸1,513
29.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.08 MYR 24.81
$4.04 ₸1,827
50.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 MYR 6.88
$1.69 ₸762
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.05 MYR 4.28
$0.86 ₸390
22.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.43 MYR 5.84
$2.03 ₸917
-29.56%
Eggs
$1.66 MYR 6.78
$2.43 ₸1,100
-31.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.84 MYR 72.8
$12.46 ₸5,632
43.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.56 MYR 18.62
$6.71 ₸3,033
-32.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.80 MYR 39.98
$10.85 ₸4,905
-9.68%
Apples (1kg)
$3.41 MYR 13.91
$1.80 ₸813
89.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 MYR 6.88
$2.25 ₸1,018
-24.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 MYR 9.48
$2.91 ₸1,314
-20.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 MYR 6.23
$2.75 ₸1,243
-44.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 MYR 5.46
$0.75 ₸337
78.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.65 MYR 6.73
$0.55 ₸248
200.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 MYR 4.60
$1.62 ₸732
-30.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 MYR 2.09
$1.05 ₸474
-51.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.36 MYR 17.79
$2.58 ₸1,167
68.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.93 MYR 56.8
$11.15 ₸5,042
24.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.86 MYR 11.65
$1.21 ₸547
136.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 MYR 12.68
$2.44 ₸1,104
27.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 MYR 3.08
$0.26 ₸117
192.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.29 MYR 50.1
$22.03 ₸9,957
-44.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 MYR 4.92
$1.35 ₸611
-10.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.71 MYR 2.91
$0.64 ₸288
10.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.94 MYR 20.16
$11.16 ₸5,044
-55.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 MYR 3.35
$0.72 ₸324
13.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.3K MYR 172.7K
$22.5K ₸10.2M
87.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3K MYR 143.9K
$30.3K ₸13.7M
16.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.5 MYR 214
$91.8 ₸41.5K
-42.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.92 MYR 40.45
$10.66 ₸4,820
-6.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.35 MYR 107
$17.86 ₸8,072
47.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.80 MYR 183
$70.3 ₸31.8K
-36.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.53 MYR 30.73
$27.60 ₸12.5K
-72.72%
Cinema Ticket
$4.91 MYR 20.05
$6.78 ₸3,064
-27.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$166 MYR 677
$449 ₸202.9K
-63.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,418 MYR 18.0K
$12.1K ₸5.5M
-63.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.6 MYR 223
$89.9 ₸40.7K
-39.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.33 MYR 66.6
$47.02 ₸21.3K
-65.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.6 MYR 333
$142 ₸64.1K
-42.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.2 MYR 396
$133 ₸60.0K
-26.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$396 MYR 1,615
$805 ₸363.7K
-50.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$337 MYR 1,375
$500 ₸225.9K
-32.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$744 MYR 3,035
$1,429 ₸645.9K
-47.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$502 MYR 2,047
$904 ₸408.8K
-44.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,919 MYR 7,828
$2,503 ₸1.1M
-23.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,012 MYR 4,129
$1,559 ₸704.7K
-35.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kajang, Selangor
Almaty
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$870 ₸393.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.06
20.65
-80.34%

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

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: 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
Kajang, Selangor
$337
Almaty
$500 48.3% $163
Groceries & Markets
Kajang, Selangor
$256
Almaty
$250 2.2% $5.5
Eating Out
Kajang, Selangor
$119
Almaty
$205 72.1% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Kajang, Selangor
$112
Almaty
$185 64.8% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kajang, Selangor
$89
Almaty
$120 35.6% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Kajang, Selangor
$55
Almaty
$84 53.5% $29
Getting Around
Kajang, Selangor
$20
Almaty
$28 37.5% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Kajang, Selangor 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor versus $45.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Kajang, Selangor vs $250 in Almaty – so Almaty wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇾 Kajang, Selangor
🇰🇿 Almaty
🕒 Local time
06:02 6:02 AM
04:02 4:02 AM
2 h behind Kajang, Selangor
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,047,356
1,475,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 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
  • Kajang, Selangor Almaty 5,100 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kajang, Selangor
  • 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
Kajang, Selangor vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Almaty cheaper than Kajang, Selangor?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,482 per month in Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor, 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 Kajang, Selangor or in Almaty?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor 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 Kajang, Selangor and in Almaty?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $988 in Kajang, Selangor and $1,372 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 39%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Kajang, Selangor or in Almaty?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kajang, Selangor, where all-in costs run around $988, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Kajang, Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Kajang, Selangor or Almaty more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kajang, Selangor – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Kajang, Selangor or Almaty?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kajang, Selangor. 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.

Kajang, Selangor vs other spots: cost of living compared

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