Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Putrajaya and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Putrajaya: $818 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Putrajaya
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Putrajaya Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index

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Putrajaya

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$818

/mo nomad

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $818 per month in Putrajaya vs $1,372 in Almaty, rent included.

Putrajaya $818
Almaty $1,372

A couple spends around $1,232 per month in Putrajaya vs $2,142 in Almaty, rent included.

Putrajaya $1,232
Almaty $2,142

A family of three spends $1,646 per month in Putrajaya vs $2,913 in Almaty, rent included.

Putrajaya $1,646
Almaty $2,913

Putrajaya is about 40% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Putrajaya sits 39% below the global median, while Almaty is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 MYR 15.41

$13.16 ₸5,949

-71.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 MYR 75.0

$44.86 ₸20.3K

-59.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.67

$8.90 ₸4,022

-48.54%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.68

$3.25 ₸1,469

-12.00%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.28

$1.41 ₸639

-43.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.88 ₸399

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 MYR 14.92

$3.35 ₸1,513

9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.52

$4.04 ₸1,827

12.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$1.69 ₸762

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.49

$0.86 ₸390

27.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.00

$2.03 ₸917

-27.59%

Eggs

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$2.43 ₸1,100

-31.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 MYR 32.00

$12.46 ₸5,632

-37.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 19.09

$6.71 ₸3,033

-30.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 MYR 39.05

$10.85 ₸4,905

-11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.82

$1.80 ₸813

33.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$2.25 ₸1,018

-32.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 MYR 9.23

$2.91 ₸1,314

-22.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.65

$2.75 ₸1,243

-40.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$0.75 ₸337

76.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.11

$0.55 ₸248

172.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MYR 5.43

$1.62 ₸732

-17.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.22

$1.05 ₸474

-48.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.50

$2.58 ₸1,167

66.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 MYR 54.1

$11.15 ₸5,042

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.10

$1.21 ₸547

145.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MYR 12.74

$2.44 ₸1,104

27.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.84

$0.26 ₸117

165.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.45 MYR 50.8

$22.03 ₸9,957

-43.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.92

$1.35 ₸611

-28.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$0.64 ₸288

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 MYR 40.51

$11.16 ₸5,044

-11.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.72 ₸324

2.78%

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

$42.5K MYR 173.3K

$22.5K ₸10.2M

88.58%

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

$34.5K MYR 140.7K

$30.3K ₸13.7M

13.92%

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

$53.4 MYR 218

$91.8 ₸41.5K

-41.87%

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

$11.10 MYR 45.29

$10.66 ₸4,820

4.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.49 MYR 91.7

$17.86 ₸8,072

25.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.53 MYR 145

$70.3 ₸31.8K

-49.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.63 MYR 39.28

$27.60 ₸12.5K

-65.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.88

$6.78 ₸3,064

-28.17%

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

$506 MYR 2,063

$449 ₸202.9K

12.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,463 MYR 18.2K

$12.1K ₸5.5M

-63.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 MYR 225

$89.9 ₸40.7K

-38.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.63 MYR 67.9

$47.02 ₸21.3K

-64.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MYR 326

$142 ₸64.1K

-43.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MYR 355

$133 ₸60.0K

-34.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,420

$805 ₸363.7K

-56.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MYR 932

$500 ₸225.9K

-54.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 MYR 2,628

$1,429 ₸645.9K

-54.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 MYR 1,516

$904 ₸408.8K

-58.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,622 MYR 10.7K

$2,503 ₸1.1M

4.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,765 MYR 7,202

$1,559 ₸704.7K

13.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,043 MYR 4,255

$870 ₸393.3K

19.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

20.65

-80.34%

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

Last update for Putrajaya: October 10, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Putrajaya

$228 27.9%

Almaty

$500 36.4% 119% $271

Groceries & Markets

Putrajaya

$221 27%

Almaty

$250 18.3% 13.5% $30

Eating Out

Putrajaya

$110 13.5%

Almaty

$205 14.9% 85.6% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Putrajaya

$107 13.1%

Almaty

$185 13.5% 72.4% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Putrajaya

$87 10.6%

Almaty

$120 8.8% 38.4% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Putrajaya

$45 5.5%

Almaty

$84 6.1% 85.3% $39

Getting Around

Putrajaya

$19 2.3%

Almaty

$28 2% 48.5% $9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Putrajaya 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 20% higher in Putrajaya, 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 $18.00 in Putrajaya versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $250 – making Putrajaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Putrajaya

🇰🇿 Almaty

🕒 Local time

14:44 2:44 PM

12:44 12:44 PM

2 h behind Putrajaya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,202

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

Putrajaya Almaty 5,110 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Putrajaya
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

Putrajaya vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 68%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,227 per month in Putrajaya 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 Putrajaya, 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 $18.00 in Putrajaya 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 $818 in Putrajaya and $1,372 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 68%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Putrajaya, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Putrajaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putrajaya – 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 Putrajaya. 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.