For one person, living is cheaper in Sale: $625 a month against $1,359 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sale and in Almaty actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $625 per month in Sale vs $1,359 in Almaty, rent included.
Sale $625
Almaty $1,359
A couple spends around $1,030 per month in Sale vs $2,117 in Almaty, rent included.
Sale $1,030
Almaty $2,117
A family of three spends $1,434 per month in Sale vs $2,876 in Almaty, rent included.
Sale $1,434
Almaty $2,876
🙂
Sale is about 54% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sale
Almaty
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.58MAD 35.17
$13.39₸6,069
-73.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.72MAD 174
$43.76₸19.8K
-59.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.08MAD 69.4
$8.75₸3,964
-19.09%
Cappuccino
$1.82MAD 17.81
$3.33₸1,508
-45.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53MAD 5.15
$1.25₸565
-57.60%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30MAD 2.94
$0.90₸406
-66.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.60MAD 25.56
$3.02₸1,366
-13.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10MAD 30.44
$3.92₸1,778
-20.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sale
Almaty
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.88MAD 8.60
$1.69₸766
-47.93%
White Bread(500g)
$0.62MAD 6.05
$0.98₸446
-36.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.95MAD 19.12
$2.07₸939
-5.80%
Eggs
$1.89MAD 18.59
$2.43₸1,103
-22.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.30MAD 111
$12.86₸5,828
-12.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.51MAD 63.9
$6.65₸3,013
-2.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.09MAD 119
$10.67₸4,836
13.31%
Apples(1kg)
$1.38MAD 13.51
$1.78₸806
-22.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.21MAD 11.88
$2.26₸1,023
-46.46%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.94MAD 9.25
$3.10₸1,406
-69.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.88MAD 8.68
$2.80₸1,269
-68.57%
Potato(1kg)
$0.70MAD 6.91
$0.74₸337
-5.41%
Onion(1kg)
$0.73MAD 7.17
$0.56₸256
30.36%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.43MAD 4.20
$1.67₸758
-74.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62MAD 6.05
$1.03₸465
-39.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.81MAD 37.35
$2.71₸1,228
40.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.50MAD 44.12
$10.85₸4,916
-58.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12MAD 20.80
$1.26₸569
68.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14MAD 20.97
$2.37₸1,072
-9.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Sale
Almaty
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MAD 5.30
$0.28₸128
92.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.81MAD 224
$21.82₸9,887
4.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.74MAD 7.24
$1.08₸488
-31.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.53MAD 5.23
$0.68₸308
-22.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.06MAD 39.81
$5.49₸2,487
-26.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.46MAD 14.32
$0.67₸303
117.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3KMAD 297.0K
$29.0K₸13.1M
4.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8KMAD 292.4K
$31.2K₸14.1M
-4.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sale
Almaty
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$37.19MAD 365
$90.4₸40.9K
-58.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.04MAD 98.5
$10.52₸4,769
-4.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.87MAD 401
$17.34₸7,856
135.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sale
Almaty
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.01MAD 157
$64.1₸29.0K
-75.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$40.98MAD 402
$27.37₸12.4K
49.73%
Cinema Ticket
$5.03MAD 49.40
$6.53₸2,957
-22.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sale
Almaty
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$101MAD 990
$489₸221.7K
-79.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,838MAD 57.3K
$18.9K₸8.6M
-69.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sale
Almaty
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$31.59MAD 310
$93.0₸42.1K
-66.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.56MAD 457
$47.42₸21.5K
-1.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.8MAD 704
$138₸62.6K
-48.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.4MAD 632
$130₸59.0K
-50.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sale
Almaty
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$205MAD 2,007
$773₸350.3K
-73.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$100MAD 982
$495₸224.3K
-79.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$356MAD 3,492
$1,393₸631.2K
-74.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$256MAD 2,514
$885₸401.1K
-71.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,126MAD 11.0K
$2,426₸1.1M
-53.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$812MAD 7,969
$1,565₸709.3K
-48.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sale
Almaty
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508MAD 4,983
$887₸402.0K
-42.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
20.38
-75.47%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sale: October 31, 2026
Last update for Almaty: November 2, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sale
$192 30.7%
Almaty
$253 18.6% ↑ 31.6%$61
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sale
$100 16%
Almaty
$495 36.4% ↑ 395%$395
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sale
$96 15.4%
Almaty
$184 13.5% ↑ 90.8%$88
🍽Eating Out
Sale
$94 15.1%
Almaty
$205 15.1% ↑ 117%$111
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sale
$88 14.1%
Almaty
$118 8.7% ↑ 34.2%$30
🚌Getting Around
Sale
$28 4.5%
Almaty
$27 2% ↓ 3.3%$0.9
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sale
$26 4.2%
Almaty
$77 5.7% ↑ 196%$51
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sale
$444 31%
Almaty
$580 20.2% ↑ 30.5%$135
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sale
$256 17.9%
Almaty
$885 30.8% ↑ 246%$629
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sale
$214 14.9%
Almaty
$409 14.2% ↑ 90.8%$194
🍽Eating Out
Sale
$270 18.8%
Almaty
$636 22.1% ↑ 135%$366
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sale
$98 6.8%
Almaty
$129 4.5% ↑ 31.2%$31
🚌Getting Around
Sale
$58 4%
Almaty
$55 1.9% ↓ 4.2%$2.4
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sale
$93 6.5%
Almaty
$182 6.3% ↑ 95%$88
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Sale versus $773 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 75% 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 $18 in Sale versus $44 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $253 – making Sale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Sale vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sale cheaper than Almaty?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 117%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $938 per month in Sale and $2,039 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $205 there versus $773 in Almaty.
Is eating out cheaper in Sale or in Almaty?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Sale and $44 in Almaty. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sale and in Almaty?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $625 in Sale and $1,359 in Almaty. That makes Sale about 54% cheaper.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Sale or in Almaty?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $625, than in Almaty at $1,359. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sale or Almaty more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sale. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Almaty makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.