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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,016 per month in Lima vs $1,364 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,623 per month in Lima vs $2,124 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,229 per month in Lima vs $2,885 in Almaty, rent included.

Lima is about 25% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lima and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Lima 26% lower, Almaty 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 PEN 14.62

$12.92 ₸5,880

-66.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.17 PEN 108

$45.03 ₸20.5K

-28.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 PEN 23.64

$8.61 ₸3,916

-18.35%

Cappuccino

$3.23 PEN 10.87

$3.15 ₸1,431

2.54%

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

$1.13 PEN 3.80

$1.33 ₸604

-15.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.08

$0.82 ₸371

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 PEN 9.02

$2.43 ₸1,104

10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 PEN 15.23

$3.92 ₸1,781

15.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PEN 5.51

$1.65 ₸749

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 PEN 8.75

$0.81 ₸367

220.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.51

$2.08 ₸948

-35.58%

Eggs

$3.05 PEN 10.27

$2.30 ₸1,048

32.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 PEN 30.30

$12.23 ₸5,563

-26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.93

$6.66 ₸3,028

-10.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 PEN 32.95

$10.73 ₸4,881

-8.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 PEN 7.04

$1.85 ₸842

13.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 PEN 3.54

$2.36 ₸1,074

-55.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 PEN 4.88

$2.90 ₸1,318

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 PEN 5.04

$2.77 ₸1,260

-45.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 PEN 3.11

$0.75 ₸342

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.17

$0.57 ₸260

64.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.00

$1.60 ₸726

-44.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 PEN 3.20

$0.97 ₸441

-2.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 PEN 19.55

$2.57 ₸1,171

126.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 PEN 30.34

$10.75 ₸4,892

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 PEN 6.52

$1.17 ₸533

65.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 PEN 10.85

$2.38 ₸1,082

35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 PEN 2.31

$0.25 ₸114

176.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.19 PEN 91.4

$21.05 ₸9,576

29.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 PEN 13.11

$1.33 ₸603

193.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 PEN 6.83

$0.63 ₸287

222.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 PEN 25.04

$10.91 ₸4,963

-31.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.77

$0.67 ₸307

155.22%

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

$22.2K PEN 74.6K

$26.2K ₸11.9M

-15.37%

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

$26.7K PEN 89.9K

$29.5K ₸13.4M

-9.43%

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

$71.1 PEN 239

$90.4 ₸41.1K

-21.42%

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

$16.93 PEN 56.9

$10.95 ₸4,981

54.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 PEN 95.1

$17.47 ₸7,947

61.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.80 PEN 114

$75.1 ₸34.2K

-54.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.96 PEN 67.1

$29.29 ₸13.3K

-31.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.23 PEN 24.29

$6.32 ₸2,875

14.40%

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

$181 PEN 607

$425 ₸193.5K

-57.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 45.2K

$11.6K ₸5.3M

15.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 PEN 182

$86.7 ₸39.4K

-37.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 PEN 120

$46.71 ₸21.3K

-23.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 PEN 289

$139 ₸63.3K

-38.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 PEN 272

$133 ₸60.3K

-38.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 PEN 2,550

$791 ₸359.7K

-4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 PEN 1,165

$498 ₸226.4K

-30.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 PEN 4,216

$1,432 ₸651.5K

-12.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 PEN 2,171

$912 ₸415.1K

-29.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,479 PEN 8,335

$2,446 ₸1.1M

1.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,676

$1,504 ₸684.3K

-7.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$669 PEN 2,248

$850 ₸386.5K

-21.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

20.61

-56.62%

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

Last update for Lima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Almaty: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $759 in Lima versus $791 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 27% 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 $32.00 in Lima versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $247 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,524 per month in Lima and $2,046 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 $32.00 in Lima 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 $1,016 in Lima and $1,364 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 $1,016, than in Almaty at $1,364. 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.