Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Almaty Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Almaty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $985 per month in Lima vs $1,057 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,537 per month in Lima vs $1,648 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,089 per month in Lima vs $2,238 in Almaty, rent included.

Lima is about 7% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lima and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Lima 27% lower, Almaty 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 PEN 13.98

$8.03 ₸3,911

-48.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 PEN 112

$38.47 ₸18.7K

-14.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 PEN 23.81

$6.97 ₸3,396

0.43%

Cappuccino

$2.54 PEN 8.64

$2.40 ₸1,167

5.83%

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

$0.92 PEN 3.14

$0.98 ₸475

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.06

$0.57 ₸276

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$1.40 ₸683

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 PEN 13.08

$2.99 ₸1,455

28.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.79

$1.31 ₸640

7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 PEN 9.30

$0.60 ₸291

355.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.44

$1.54 ₸751

-15.58%

Eggs

$2.96 PEN 10.07

$1.74 ₸847

70.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 PEN 27.12

$9.74 ₸4,744

-18.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 PEN 19.31

$4.70 ₸2,288

20.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 PEN 36.01

$7.50 ₸3,656

41.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 PEN 6.88

$1.35 ₸657

49.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 PEN 3.66

$1.98 ₸964

-45.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.86

$1.95 ₸951

-42.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.26

$2.07 ₸1,008

-39.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 PEN 3.52

$0.63 ₸306

63.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.25

$0.42 ₸205

128.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.96

$1.24 ₸604

-29.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$0.71 ₸344

23.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 PEN 18.58

$1.97 ₸960

177.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 PEN 30.55

$10.09 ₸4,917

-11.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.96

$0.88 ₸431

98.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 PEN 10.48

$2.04 ₸993

50.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 PEN 2.26

$0.24 ₸117

179.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 PEN 104

$17.76 ₸8,649

72.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.51

$1.16 ₸564

191.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.53

$0.70 ₸341

215.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 PEN 27.97

$4.80 ₸2,341

71.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.60

$0.49 ₸238

175.51%

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

$19.3K PEN 65.7K

$23.2K ₸11.3M

-16.78%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.7K

$27.2K ₸13.3M

-10.76%

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

$56.7 PEN 193

$63.8 ₸31.1K

-11.15%

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

$12.64 PEN 43.01

$8.60 ₸4,188

46.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.00 PEN 81.7

$13.83 ₸6,737

73.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 102

$48.67 ₸23.7K

-38.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 PEN 64.5

$21.24 ₸10.3K

-10.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 PEN 22.92

$5.11 ₸2,490

31.90%

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

$218 PEN 740

$267 ₸130.0K

-18.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 PEN 26.9K

$12.9K ₸6.3M

-38.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 PEN 170

$84.0 ₸40.9K

-40.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 PEN 125

$43.48 ₸21.2K

-15.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PEN 305

$96.8 ₸47.2K

-7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 PEN 300

$119 ₸58.2K

-26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 PEN 2,063

$665 ₸324.0K

-8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 PEN 1,190

$420 ₸204.4K

-16.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 PEN 3,525

$1,175 ₸572.4K

-11.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 PEN 2,136

$773 ₸376.7K

-18.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,367 PEN 8,056

$2,143 ₸1.0M

10.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,434 PEN 4,881

$1,254 ₸610.9K

14.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 PEN 2,131

$789 ₸384.6K

-20.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

18.39

-45.02%

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

Last update for Lima: June 1, 2026

Last update for Almaty: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $606 in Lima versus $665 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 26% 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 $33.00 in Lima versus $38.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Lima vs $189 in Almaty – so Almaty 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

Lima vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,477 per month in Lima and $1,586 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lima, 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 $33.00 in Lima and $38.00 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 $985 in Lima and $1,057 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $985, than in Almaty at $1,057. In Lima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Lima. 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.