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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $792 per month in Sale vs $1,068 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Sale vs $1,679 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Sale vs $2,291 in Almaty, rent included.

Sale is about 26% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sale and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Sale 41% lower, Almaty 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 MAD 42.37

$7.92 ₸3,660

-42.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 MAD 305

$39.67 ₸18.3K

-16.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 MAD 61.2

$6.66 ₸3,081

-0.75%

Cappuccino

$2.06 MAD 19.08

$2.41 ₸1,116

-14.52%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.85

$0.95 ₸440

-33.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.70

$0.57 ₸264

-29.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.1

$1.41 ₸652

284.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 MAD 38.30

$2.89 ₸1,334

43.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MAD 8.91

$1.27 ₸586

-24.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.06

$0.54 ₸251

1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MAD 18.06

$1.48 ₸686

31.76%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.39

$1.71 ₸793

16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 MAD 120

$9.62 ₸4,449

35.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 MAD 55.5

$4.46 ₸2,060

34.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 MAD 108

$7.62 ₸3,526

53.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 MAD 13.90

$1.34 ₸619

11.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MAD 12.44

$1.90 ₸878

-29.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.33

$1.89 ₸874

-52.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 7.82

$2.00 ₸926

-57.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.37

$0.59 ₸272

35.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.31

$0.42 ₸195

88.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.94

$1.30 ₸601

-66.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.91

$0.70 ₸323

-8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MAD 40.30

$1.98 ₸915

120.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 MAD 66.0

$8.46 ₸3,912

-15.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 MAD 24.15

$0.84 ₸386

210.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MAD 23.55

$2.14 ₸989

19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MAD 5.21

$0.22 ₸102

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.44 MAD 226

$17.79 ₸8,226

37.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.88

$1.14 ₸526

-53.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.81

$0.67 ₸308

-22.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MAD 41.37

$4.59 ₸2,122

-2.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MAD 14.76

$0.49 ₸225

226.53%

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

$37.2K MAD 344.1K

$23.2K ₸10.7M

60.16%

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

$29.9K MAD 277.0K

$27.5K ₸12.7M

9.03%

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

$33.03 MAD 305

$62.4 ₸28.8K

-47.05%

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

$10.91 MAD 101

$9.01 ₸4,166

21.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.43 MAD 420

$13.41 ₸6,201

238.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.25 MAD 132

$47.68 ₸22.0K

-70.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.67 MAD 219

$21.81 ₸10.1K

8.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.48 MAD 59.9

$5.12 ₸2,366

26.56%

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

$112 MAD 1,037

$261 ₸120.9K

-57.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,300 MAD 58.3K

$12.6K ₸5.8M

-50.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.36 MAD 392

$85.8 ₸39.7K

-50.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 MAD 460

$44.05 ₸20.4K

12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 987

$97.6 ₸45.1K

9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 MAD 927

$120 ₸55.6K

-16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MAD 2,620

$653 ₸302.1K

-56.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,617

$417 ₸192.6K

-58.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 MAD 4,631

$1,188 ₸549.5K

-57.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,805

$753 ₸348.3K

-59.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,201 MAD 11.1K

$2,151 ₸994.3K

-44.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$852 MAD 7,882

$1,319 ₸609.9K

-35.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 MAD 3,792

$816 ₸377.2K

-49.75%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Almaty: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Sale versus $653 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 99% 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 – $204 in Sale vs $182 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 35%, 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 $1,188 per month in Sale and $1,602 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 $792 in Sale and $1,068 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 $792, than in Almaty at $1,068. 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.