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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $776 per month in Sale vs $1,067 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Sale vs $1,689 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,736 per month in Sale vs $2,311 in Almaty, rent included.

Sale is about 27% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sale and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Sale 42% lower, Almaty 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MAD 42.83

$7.97 ₸3,779

-42.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.67 MAD 305

$38.97 ₸18.5K

-16.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 MAD 64.2

$6.93 ₸3,285

-0.72%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MAD 19.08

$2.34 ₸1,110

-12.39%

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

$0.65 MAD 6.03

$0.97 ₸461

-32.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.75

$0.53 ₸250

-24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.5

$1.40 ₸665

287.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MAD 38.54

$2.87 ₸1,361

43.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.31

$1.32 ₸626

-32.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.11

$0.59 ₸281

-6.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MAD 18.08

$1.55 ₸735

25.16%

Eggs

$2.07 MAD 19.27

$1.77 ₸840

16.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 MAD 120

$9.42 ₸4,467

36.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MAD 58.4

$4.54 ₸2,155

37.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 MAD 108

$7.50 ₸3,555

54.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 MAD 14.64

$1.35 ₸639

16.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MAD 12.43

$1.95 ₸925

-31.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.79

$1.96 ₸930

-52.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.34

$2.10 ₸995

-57.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 6.98

$0.58 ₸276

29.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.08

$0.42 ₸199

80.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.97

$1.25 ₸593

-65.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.97

$0.74 ₸351

-13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MAD 40.05

$1.89 ₸898

126.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MAD 44.71

$10.57 ₸5,010

-54.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.50

$0.84 ₸400

226.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 23.06

$2.07 ₸983

19.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MAD 4.99

$0.24 ₸114

120.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.24 MAD 226

$17.63 ₸8,358

37.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MAD 5.03

$1.19 ₸563

-54.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.85

$0.71 ₸337

-26.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MAD 40.01

$4.62 ₸2,192

-7.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.23

$0.48 ₸226

218.75%

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

$37.6K MAD 351.0K

$23.7K ₸11.2M

58.71%

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

$29.8K MAD 277.7K

$27.0K ₸12.8M

10.47%

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

$33.53 MAD 313

$63.6 ₸30.2K

-47.29%

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

$11.05 MAD 103

$8.56 ₸4,057

29.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.02 MAD 429

$13.78 ₸6,535

233.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.63 MAD 136

$48.18 ₸22.8K

-69.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.77 MAD 212

$21.54 ₸10.2K

5.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MAD 60.7

$5.33 ₸2,528

22.14%

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

$111 MAD 1,039

$258 ₸122.5K

-56.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,308 MAD 58.8K

$12.9K ₸6.1M

-51.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.92 MAD 391

$83.9 ₸39.8K

-50.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 MAD 473

$43.77 ₸20.8K

15.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 991

$99.1 ₸47.0K

7.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 MAD 914

$121 ₸57.2K

-18.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,664

$645 ₸306.0K

-55.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,649

$417 ₸197.8K

-57.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MAD 4,709

$1,167 ₸553.2K

-56.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 MAD 2,818

$764 ₸362.1K

-60.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,198 MAD 11.2K

$2,359 ₸1.1M

-49.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 MAD 7,951

$1,374 ₸651.3K

-37.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MAD 5,046

$795 ₸376.7K

-31.89%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Almaty: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Sale versus $645 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 47% 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 $39.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Sale vs $189 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 37%, 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 $1,165 per month in Sale and $1,601 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 $39.00 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 $776 in Sale and $1,067 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 $776, than in Almaty at $1,067. 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.