Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuantan and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuantan: $839 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Kuantan
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Kuantan Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index

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Kuantan

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$839

/mo nomad

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $839 per month in Kuantan vs $1,372 in Almaty, rent included.

Kuantan $839
Almaty $1,372

A couple spends around $1,219 per month in Kuantan vs $2,142 in Almaty, rent included.

Kuantan $1,219
Almaty $2,142

A family of three spends $1,599 per month in Kuantan vs $2,913 in Almaty, rent included.

Kuantan $1,599
Almaty $2,913

Kuantan is about 39% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kuantan sits 38% below the global median, while Almaty is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.49 MYR 10.18

$13.16 ₸5,949

-81.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.00 MYR 48.96

$44.86 ₸20.3K

-73.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 MYR 14.83

$8.90 ₸4,022

-59.21%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.73

$3.25 ₸1,469

-11.38%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$1.41 ₸639

-49.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$0.88 ₸399

-48.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 MYR 11.43

$3.35 ₸1,513

-16.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 MYR 23.37

$4.04 ₸1,827

41.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MYR 6.52

$1.69 ₸762

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MYR 3.35

$0.86 ₸390

-4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 5.98

$2.03 ₸917

-27.59%

Eggs

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$2.43 ₸1,100

-46.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 MYR 38.79

$12.46 ₸5,632

-23.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 MYR 13.36

$6.71 ₸3,033

-51.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 MYR 18.04

$10.85 ₸4,905

-59.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MYR 12.35

$1.80 ₸813

68.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$2.25 ₸1,018

-14.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 MYR 11.12

$2.91 ₸1,314

-6.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.14

$2.75 ₸1,243

-36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$0.75 ₸337

129.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MYR 7.93

$0.55 ₸248

252.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.12

$1.62 ₸732

-53.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.28

$1.05 ₸474

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MYR 17.85

$2.58 ₸1,167

69.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.95 MYR 81.4

$11.15 ₸5,042

78.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MYR 8.13

$1.21 ₸547

64.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MYR 7.81

$2.44 ₸1,104

-21.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.26 ₸117

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.55

$22.03 ₸9,957

-44.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MYR 4.61

$1.35 ₸611

-16.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.45

$0.64 ₸288

-45.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.05 MYR 36.92

$11.16 ₸5,044

-18.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$0.72 ₸324

-27.78%

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

$34.1K MYR 139.1K

$22.5K ₸10.2M

51.43%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.9K

$30.3K ₸13.7M

9.28%

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

$49.82 MYR 203

$91.8 ₸41.5K

-45.74%

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

$8.06 MYR 32.86

$10.66 ₸4,820

-24.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 MYR 98.6

$17.86 ₸8,072

35.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.79 MYR 162

$70.3 ₸31.8K

-43.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.83 MYR 27.87

$27.60 ₸12.5K

-75.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MYR 18.98

$6.78 ₸3,064

-31.42%

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

$280 MYR 1,142

$449 ₸202.9K

-37.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K MYR 41.8K

$12.1K ₸5.5M

-15.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MYR 214

$89.9 ₸40.7K

-41.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.29 MYR 124

$47.02 ₸21.3K

-35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.62 MYR 202

$142 ₸64.1K

-65.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 MYR 199

$133 ₸60.0K

-63.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 MYR 1,675

$805 ₸363.7K

-48.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 MYR 1,232

$500 ₸225.9K

-39.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 MYR 2,822

$1,429 ₸645.9K

-51.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,943

$904 ₸408.8K

-47.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,015 MYR 8,220

$2,503 ₸1.1M

-19.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,090 MYR 4,448

$1,559 ₸704.7K

-30.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MYR 3,976

$870 ₸393.3K

12.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.15

20.65

-79.90%

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

Last update for Kuantan: October 11, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Kuantan

$302 36%

Almaty

$500 36.4% 65.5% $198

Groceries & Markets

Kuantan

$212 25.3%

Almaty

$250 18.3% 17.9% $38

Eating Out

Kuantan

$95 11.4%

Almaty

$205 14.9% 115% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kuantan

$82 9.8%

Almaty

$120 8.8% 46.7% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Kuantan

$82 9.7%

Almaty

$185 13.5% 127% $104

Sport & Entertainment

Kuantan

$49 5.9%

Almaty

$84 6.1% 70.8% $35

Getting Around

Kuantan

$17 2%

Almaty

$28 2% 61.7% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Kuantan 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 12% higher in Kuantan, 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 $12.00 in Kuantan versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $250 – making Kuantan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Kuantan

🇰🇿 Almaty

🕒 Local time

06:32 6:32 AM

04:32 4:32 AM

2 h behind Kuantan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

548,014

1,475,400

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kuantan Almaty 5,100 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Kuantan
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

Kuantan vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,259 per month in Kuantan and $2,058 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuantan, 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 $12.00 in Kuantan and $45.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $839 in Kuantan and $1,372 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 63%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuantan – 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 Kuantan. 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.