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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $999 per month in Lima vs $1,080 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,561 per month in Lima vs $1,692 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,124 per month in Lima vs $2,304 in Almaty, rent included.

Lima is about 8% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lima and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Lima 25% lower, Almaty 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 PEN 13.76

$7.90 ₸3,720

-48.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 PEN 115

$38.58 ₸18.2K

-11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 PEN 22.85

$6.92 ₸3,256

-2.60%

Cappuccino

$2.52 PEN 8.55

$2.43 ₸1,142

3.70%

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

$0.94 PEN 3.18

$0.99 ₸465

-5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.21

$0.52 ₸247

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 PEN 7.34

$1.36 ₸639

59.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 PEN 13.38

$2.95 ₸1,387

33.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.78

$1.31 ₸617

7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 PEN 9.21

$0.55 ₸258

394.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

$1.52 ₸716

-9.87%

Eggs

$2.94 PEN 9.98

$1.76 ₸829

67.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 PEN 26.85

$9.66 ₸4,550

-18.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 PEN 19.53

$4.67 ₸2,201

23.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.71 PEN 36.29

$7.69 ₸3,620

39.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 PEN 6.71

$1.39 ₸657

42.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.66

$1.91 ₸901

-43.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.72

$1.94 ₸915

-43.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 PEN 4.05

$2.06 ₸972

-42.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.51

$0.58 ₸275

79.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$0.43 ₸202

132.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 PEN 2.93

$1.30 ₸613

-33.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.93

$0.74 ₸347

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 PEN 18.95

$1.94 ₸913

188.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 PEN 30.49

$10.66 ₸5,019

-15.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 PEN 5.98

$0.82 ₸387

115.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 PEN 10.41

$2.11 ₸992

45.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.29

$0.24 ₸114

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.68 PEN 107

$18.33 ₸8,633

72.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 PEN 11.42

$1.20 ₸567

180.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 PEN 7.53

$0.71 ₸336

212.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 PEN 27.98

$4.63 ₸2,181

78.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.58

$0.52 ₸245

159.62%

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

$19.4K PEN 65.8K

$23.6K ₸11.1M

-17.66%

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

$24.3K PEN 82.2K

$27.4K ₸12.9M

-11.41%

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

$56.4 PEN 191

$62.4 ₸29.4K

-9.61%

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

$12.57 PEN 42.60

$8.56 ₸4,029

46.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 PEN 80.2

$13.90 ₸6,547

70.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 PEN 105

$46.84 ₸22.1K

-33.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 PEN 63.4

$21.46 ₸10.1K

-12.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 PEN 23.16

$5.20 ₸2,449

31.35%

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

$219 PEN 742

$268 ₸126.0K

-18.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,096 PEN 27.4K

$13.0K ₸6.1M

-37.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.58 PEN 168

$84.9 ₸40.0K

-41.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 PEN 121

$44.46 ₸20.9K

-19.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 303

$99.5 ₸46.8K

-10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 PEN 301

$120 ₸56.4K

-25.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 PEN 2,113

$643 ₸302.9K

-3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 PEN 1,167

$425 ₸200.1K

-19.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 PEN 3,482

$1,157 ₸545.0K

-11.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 PEN 2,096

$776 ₸365.2K

-20.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,315 PEN 7,846

$2,362 ₸1.1M

-2.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 PEN 4,730

$1,364 ₸642.1K

2.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 PEN 2,119

$834 ₸392.7K

-25.06%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Almaty: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $623 in Lima versus $643 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 33% 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 $34.00 in Lima versus $39.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Lima vs $190 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 8%, 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 $1,498 per month in Lima and $1,620 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 $34.00 in Lima and $39.00 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 $999 in Lima and $1,080 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 $999, than in Almaty at $1,080. 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.