Cost of Living Comparison Between Kostanay and Shah Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Kostanay and Shah Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $936 per month in Kostanay vs $958 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,435 per month in Kostanay vs $1,436 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,933 per month in Kostanay vs $1,913 in Shah Alam, rent included.

Kostanay is about 2% cheaper than Shah Alam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kostanay and Shah Alam are more affordable than the global median – Kostanay 32% lower, Shah Alam 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 ₸2,484

$3.82 MYR 15.42

42.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.71 ₸13.1K

$19.79 MYR 79.8

45.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 ₸3,276

$4.15 MYR 16.74

73.25%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ₸972

$2.94 MYR 11.87

-27.55%

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

$1.15 ₸522

$0.77 MYR 3.10

49.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₸378

$0.38 MYR 1.53

118.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₸634

$3.43 MYR 13.84

-59.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₸1,151

$4.59 MYR 18.51

-44.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₸565

$1.87 MYR 7.56

-33.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₸219

$1.07 MYR 4.32

-55.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₸469

$1.44 MYR 5.80

-28.47%

Eggs

$2.20 ₸1,002

$2.13 MYR 8.59

3.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 ₸4,568

$13.27 MYR 53.5

-24.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 ₸2,599

$4.33 MYR 17.48

31.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.59 ₸3,913

$9.79 MYR 39.51

-12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 ₸722

$3.44 MYR 13.88

-54.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ₸1,032

$1.70 MYR 6.87

32.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₸854

$2.76 MYR 11.15

-31.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₸1,034

$1.83 MYR 7.38

24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ₸246

$1.25 MYR 5.05

-56.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ₸281

$2.07 MYR 8.36

-70.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₸541

$1.47 MYR 5.92

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₸417

$0.57 MYR 2.31

61.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 ₸1,097

$4.20 MYR 16.96

-42.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 ₸3,669

$19.08 MYR 77.0

-57.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₸500

$2.79 MYR 11.24

-60.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₸1,047

$4.47 MYR 18.04

-48.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₸144

$0.77 MYR 3.09

-58.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.34 MYR 65.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 ₸427

$1.28 MYR 5.15

-26.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ₸484

$0.39 MYR 1.57

171.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 ₸2,664

$7.56 MYR 30.50

-22.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 ₸246

$0.75 MYR 3.02

-28.00%

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

$30.6K ₸14.0M

$42.1K MYR 170.0K

-27.30%

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

$29.1K ₸13.3M

$35.5K MYR 143.3K

-17.93%

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

$75.3 ₸34.3K

$38.25 MYR 154

96.94%

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

$10.72 ₸4,883

$9.86 MYR 39.79

8.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.65 ₸7,128

$29.96 MYR 121

-47.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.28 ₸21.1K

$39.58 MYR 160

16.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 ₸9,048

$5.02 MYR 20.25

295.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 ₸1,913

$6.68 MYR 26.94

-37.13%

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

$207 ₸94.3K

$202 MYR 814

2.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,436 ₸2.9M

$4,569 MYR 18.4K

40.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 ₸42.0K

$58.4 MYR 236

57.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 ₸24.0K

$39.95 MYR 161

31.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ₸48.5K

$68.5 MYR 276

55.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 ₸40.7K

$70.8 MYR 286

26.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₸176.9K

$350 MYR 1,412

10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₸138.4K

$311 MYR 1,255

-2.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 ₸264.4K

$567 MYR 2,288

2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 ₸214.8K

$555 MYR 2,241

-15.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,190 ₸541.9K

$1,489 MYR 6,007

-20.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$910 ₸414.6K

$1,181 MYR 4,764

-22.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₸294.5K

$1,238 MYR 4,994

-47.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

4.24

336.32%

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

Last update for Kostanay: August 31, 2026

Last update for Shah Alam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Kostanay versus $350 in Shah Alam. 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 92% higher in Shah Alam, 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 $29.00 in Kostanay versus $20.00 in Shah Alam. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Kostanay vs $264 in Shah Alam – so Kostanay 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

Kostanay vs Shah Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shah Alam costs about 2% more than Kostanay, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,404 per month in Kostanay and $1,437 in Shah Alam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Kostanay and $20.00 in Shah Alam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Shah Alam, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Kostanay and $958 in Shah Alam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kostanay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Kostanay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shah Alam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.