Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oskemen and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Oskemen: $904 a month against $1,363 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Oskemen
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Oskemen Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index

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Oskemen

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$904

/mo nomad

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,363

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $904 per month in Oskemen vs $1,363 in Almaty, rent included.

Oskemen $904
Almaty $1,363

A couple spends around $1,517 per month in Oskemen vs $2,131 in Almaty, rent included.

Oskemen $1,517
Almaty $2,131

A family of three spends $2,131 per month in Oskemen vs $2,900 in Almaty, rent included.

Oskemen $2,131
Almaty $2,900

Oskemen is about 34% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Oskemen sits 33% below the global median, while Almaty is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 ₸6,010

$13.05 ₸5,899

1.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.05 ₸11.8K

$43.44 ₸19.6K

-40.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 ₸1,764

$8.76 ₸3,962

-55.48%

Cappuccino

$3.42 ₸1,547

$3.32 ₸1,501

3.01%

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

$0.98 ₸444

$1.34 ₸607

-26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₸248

$0.83 ₸374

-33.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 ₸716

$3.36 ₸1,518

-52.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₸766

$4.02 ₸1,818

-57.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ₸656

$1.65 ₸747

-12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₸223

$0.93 ₸421

-47.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 ₸618

$2.05 ₸927

-33.17%

Eggs

$1.76 ₸795

$2.46 ₸1,113

-28.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ₸4,554

$12.49 ₸5,646

-19.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 ₸2,681

$6.71 ₸3,035

-11.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 ₸3,624

$10.85 ₸4,905

-26.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₸530

$1.78 ₸807

-34.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 ₸907

$2.25 ₸1,018

-10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₸1,230

$2.87 ₸1,299

-5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ₸1,140

$2.71 ₸1,227

-7.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ₸425

$0.80 ₸362

17.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₸236

$0.55 ₸249

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ₸145

$1.62 ₸732

-80.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₸476

$1.00 ₸453

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 ₸1,006

$2.58 ₸1,167

-13.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 ₸2,201

$11.15 ₸5,039

-56.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₸656

$1.26 ₸572

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₸733

$2.48 ₸1,120

-34.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸108

$0.28 ₸128

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.05 ₸9,970

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₸511

$1.34 ₸607

-15.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₸146

$0.64 ₸288

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₸1,119

$11.04 ₸4,993

-77.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 ₸297

$0.72 ₸326

-8.33%

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

$32.4K ₸14.7M

$28.1K ₸12.7M

15.21%

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

$31.1K ₸14.1M

$31.8K ₸14.4M

-2.19%

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

$46.60 ₸21.1K

$90.5 ₸40.9K

-48.52%

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

$11.54 ₸5,217

$10.63 ₸4,805

8.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.44 ₸10.1K

$18.12 ₸8,190

23.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.34 ₸11.9K

$69.0 ₸31.2K

-61.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.83 ₸8,964

$26.98 ₸12.2K

-26.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 ₸2,301

$6.77 ₸3,062

-24.82%

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

$66.0 ₸29.8K

$444 ₸200.6K

-85.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,835 ₸1.3M

$12.0K ₸5.4M

-76.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ₸50.8K

$91.9 ₸41.5K

22.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.0 ₸36.6K

$47.80 ₸21.6K

69.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 ₸44.3K

$139 ₸63.0K

-29.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ₸54.7K

$131 ₸59.4K

-7.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 ₸153.3K

$777 ₸351.2K

-56.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 ₸102.2K

$494 ₸223.4K

-54.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$675 ₸305.0K

$1,439 ₸650.4K

-53.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ₸258.6K

$905 ₸409.2K

-36.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,107 ₸500.3K

$2,470 ₸1.1M

-55.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$838 ₸378.8K

$1,517 ₸685.7K

-44.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$800 ₸361.6K

$857 ₸387.2K

-6.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

20.65

-5.57%

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

Last update for Oskemen: October 19, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Oskemen

$226 25%

Almaty

$494 36.3% 119% $268

Groceries & Markets

Oskemen

$195 21.6%

Almaty

$251 18.4% 28.3% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Oskemen

$185 20.5%

Almaty

$185 13.6% 0.4% $0.8

Eating Out

Oskemen

$177 19.5%

Almaty

$204 15% 15.6% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Oskemen

$81 8.9%

Almaty

$119 8.8% 48% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Oskemen

$37 4%

Almaty

$83 6.1% 126% $46

Getting Around

Oskemen

$3.7 * 0.4%

Almaty

$28 2% 651% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $339 in Oskemen versus $777 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 7% 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 $26.00 in Oskemen versus $43.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $251 – making Oskemen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Oskemen

🇰🇿 Almaty

🕒 Local time

20:18 8:18 PM

Same time as Oskemen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

354,770

1,475,400

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Oskemen Almaty 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Oskemen
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

Oskemen vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,356 per month in Oskemen and $2,044 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $904 in Oskemen and $1,363 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 51%.

Kindergarten costs $66.0 per month in Oskemen and $444 in Almaty. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oskemen, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Almaty at $1,363. In Oskemen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oskemen – 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 Oskemen. 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.