Cost of Living Comparison Between Sale and Almaty Cost of Living Comparison Between Sale and Almaty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Sale vs $1,043 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,232 per month in Sale vs $1,668 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,684 per month in Sale vs $2,292 in Almaty, rent included.

Sale is about 25% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sale and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Sale 42% lower, Almaty 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 MAD 42.09

$7.86 ₸3,837

-42.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.89 MAD 304

$39.65 ₸19.4K

-17.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MAD 62.9

$7.01 ₸3,424

-3.00%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MAD 18.35

$2.33 ₸1,140

-15.02%

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

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$0.99 ₸482

-30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.73

$0.57 ₸278

-29.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.2

$1.39 ₸681

289.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MAD 38.88

$2.90 ₸1,416

44.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 MAD 8.79

$1.33 ₸649

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MAD 5.31

$0.56 ₸273

1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.26

$1.48 ₸725

26.35%

Eggs

$1.96 MAD 18.17

$1.72 ₸841

13.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MAD 121

$9.77 ₸4,770

33.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 MAD 55.6

$4.72 ₸2,304

27.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 MAD 111

$7.47 ₸3,650

61.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 MAD 14.06

$1.35 ₸660

12.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MAD 12.23

$1.88 ₸918

-29.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.50

$1.95 ₸953

-52.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.21

$2.00 ₸976

-55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.38

$0.63 ₸306

26.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.45

$0.42 ₸206

90.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.62

$1.29 ₸628

-69.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.44

$0.69 ₸338

-14.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MAD 40.30

$1.90 ₸926

129.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 MAD 44.74

$10.10 ₸4,934

-52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MAD 25.20

$0.83 ₸406

227.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 22.86

$2.06 ₸1,005

19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.27

$0.24 ₸118

137.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 MAD 232

$18.17 ₸8,875

38.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.86

$1.20 ₸585

-55.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$0.68 ₸330

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MAD 39.93

$4.82 ₸2,353

-10.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.04

$0.48 ₸232

216.67%

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

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

$23.3K ₸11.4M

60.03%

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

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

$26.7K ₸13.0M

11.04%

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

$32.93 MAD 305

$62.3 ₸30.4K

-47.13%

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

$11.00 MAD 102

$8.53 ₸4,164

28.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.34 MAD 419

$13.73 ₸6,707

230.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.22 MAD 132

$47.82 ₸23.4K

-70.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.46 MAD 217

$21.14 ₸10.3K

10.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 MAD 59.3

$5.37 ₸2,621

19.37%

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

$113 MAD 1,044

$264 ₸128.9K

-57.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

$12.9K ₸6.3M

-50.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 MAD 402

$84.6 ₸41.3K

-48.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MAD 470

$44.14 ₸21.6K

15.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 994

$98.0 ₸47.9K

9.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 MAD 914

$122 ₸59.5K

-18.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MAD 2,611

$658 ₸321.3K

-57.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,619

$420 ₸205.1K

-58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MAD 4,724

$1,190 ₸581.4K

-57.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,800

$766 ₸373.9K

-60.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

$2,165 ₸1.1M

-44.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 MAD 8,143

$1,291 ₸630.5K

-31.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 MAD 4,934

$767 ₸374.5K

-30.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

18.39

-73.84%

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

Last update for Sale: June 7, 2026

Last update for Almaty: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Sale versus $658 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 44% 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 Sale versus $40.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Sale vs $187 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

Sale vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,169 per month in Sale and $1,565 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, 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 Sale and $40.00 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 $779 in Sale and $1,043 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Almaty at $1,043. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.