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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $642 per month in Sale vs $1,381 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Sale vs $2,187 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,506 per month in Sale vs $2,993 in Almaty, rent included.

Sale is about 54% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sale sits 53% below the global median, while Almaty is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MAD 34.04

$13.67 ₸6,092

-73.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.60 MAD 177

$45.32 ₸20.2K

-58.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 MAD 69.8

$8.76 ₸3,902

-16.21%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MAD 17.79

$3.23 ₸1,441

-42.11%

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

$0.67 MAD 6.38

$1.34 ₸599

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.12

$0.93 ₸414

-64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MAD 25.53

$2.76 ₸1,230

-2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 MAD 29.72

$4.09 ₸1,825

-23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MAD 8.71

$1.68 ₸748

-45.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MAD 6.38

$0.84 ₸374

-20.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MAD 18.34

$2.18 ₸970

-11.47%

Eggs

$1.94 MAD 18.41

$2.50 ₸1,113

-22.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 MAD 111

$12.57 ₸5,602

-7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 MAD 63.1

$6.76 ₸3,013

-1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 MAD 119

$11.19 ₸4,987

11.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 13.13

$1.96 ₸871

-29.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MAD 12.02

$2.40 ₸1,069

-47.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 8.16

$2.90 ₸1,294

-70.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 8.10

$2.86 ₸1,273

-70.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.66

$0.79 ₸351

-11.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 7.14

$0.59 ₸263

27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MAD 4.21

$1.71 ₸762

-74.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.65

$0.99 ₸443

-40.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 MAD 37.38

$2.57 ₸1,146

52.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.67 MAD 44.45

$11.15 ₸4,970

-58.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 MAD 21.27

$1.25 ₸556

79.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 MAD 21.13

$2.34 ₸1,042

-5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MAD 5.36

$0.28 ₸126

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.91 MAD 227

$21.71 ₸9,677

10.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 MAD 6.73

$1.30 ₸581

-45.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MAD 5.22

$0.70 ₸310

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 MAD 41.01

$11.27 ₸5,020

-61.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MAD 14.02

$0.68 ₸302

116.18%

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

$34.6K MAD 329.2K

$22.7K ₸10.1M

52.67%

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

$31.3K MAD 297.4K

$30.1K ₸13.4M

3.95%

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

$39.29 MAD 374

$93.2 ₸41.5K

-57.85%

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

$10.74 MAD 102

$10.81 ₸4,817

-0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 MAD 402

$18.01 ₸8,025

134.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.93 MAD 161

$75.4 ₸33.6K

-77.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.72 MAD 397

$29.99 ₸13.4K

39.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 MAD 49.15

$6.68 ₸2,977

-22.60%

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

$105 MAD 997

$447 ₸199.1K

-76.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,986 MAD 56.9K

$11.9K ₸5.3M

-49.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.21 MAD 316

$91.9 ₸41.0K

-63.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 MAD 450

$46.73 ₸20.8K

1.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MAD 699

$141 ₸62.9K

-47.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.5 MAD 642

$133 ₸59.4K

-49.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 MAD 2,039

$817 ₸364.0K

-73.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 MAD 1,023

$499 ₸222.5K

-78.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 MAD 3,496

$1,512 ₸674.0K

-75.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 MAD 2,496

$918 ₸408.9K

-71.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 MAD 11.0K

$2,535 ₸1.1M

-54.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 MAD 8,058

$1,543 ₸687.8K

-45.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 MAD 5,085

$875 ₸389.8K

-38.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.61

-75.74%

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

Last update for Sale: September 14, 2026

Last update for Almaty: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $214 in Sale versus $817 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 64% 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 $19.00 in Sale versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $255 – making Sale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 115%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $963 per month in Sale and $2,071 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 $19.00 in Sale 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 $642 in Sale and $1,381 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 $642, than in Almaty at $1,381. 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.