Cost of Living Comparison Between Semey and Almaty Cost of Living Comparison Between Semey and Almaty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $707 per month in Semey vs $1,381 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,146 per month in Semey vs $2,187 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,584 per month in Semey vs $2,993 in Almaty, rent included.

Semey is about 49% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Semey sits 48% below the global median, while Almaty is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ₸2,228

$13.67 ₸6,129

-63.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.56 ₸10.1K

$45.32 ₸20.3K

-50.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 ₸2,443

$8.76 ₸3,925

-37.79%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₸756

$3.23 ₸1,450

-47.68%

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

$0.80 ₸356

$1.34 ₸602

-40.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₸233

$0.93 ₸417

-44.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₸415

$2.76 ₸1,237

-66.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₸633

$4.09 ₸1,836

-65.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₸469

$1.68 ₸753

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 ₸150

$0.84 ₸376

-60.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 ₸851

$2.18 ₸976

-12.84%

Eggs

$1.51 ₸679

$2.50 ₸1,120

-39.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.44 ₸2,440

$12.57 ₸5,636

-56.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₸1,695

$6.76 ₸3,031

-44.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.28 ₸2,365

$11.19 ₸5,016

-52.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 ₸566

$1.96 ₸877

-35.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ₸755

$2.40 ₸1,075

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ₸780

$2.90 ₸1,302

-40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ₸758

$2.86 ₸1,281

-40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₸172

$0.79 ₸353

-51.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₸254

$0.59 ₸264

-3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₸571

$1.71 ₸767

-25.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₸436

$0.99 ₸446

-2.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ₸1,108

$2.57 ₸1,153

-3.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 ₸3,184

$11.15 ₸5,000

-36.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₸616

$1.25 ₸559

9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₸978

$2.34 ₸1,048

-6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸117

$0.28 ₸127

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.98 ₸7,613

$21.71 ₸9,735

-21.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₸614

$1.30 ₸584

5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 ₸529

$0.70 ₸312

68.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 ₸2,998

$11.27 ₸5,050

-40.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 ₸304

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

$24.2K ₸10.9M

$22.7K ₸10.2M

6.75%

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

$26.0K ₸11.7M

$30.1K ₸13.5M

-13.44%

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

$33.94 ₸15.2K

$93.2 ₸41.8K

-63.59%

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

$8.78 ₸3,936

$10.81 ₸4,846

-18.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.96 ₸8,501

$18.01 ₸8,073

5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.68 ₸19.1K

$75.4 ₸33.8K

-43.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.09 ₸4,972

$29.99 ₸13.4K

-63.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 ₸1,950

$6.68 ₸2,995

-34.88%

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

$133 ₸59.4K

$447 ₸200.3K

-70.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 ₸2.0M

$11.9K ₸5.3M

-63.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.67 ₸12.9K

$91.9 ₸41.2K

-68.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.42 ₸11.4K

$46.73 ₸20.9K

-45.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 ₸45.5K

$141 ₸63.3K

-28.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 ₸33.7K

$133 ₸59.7K

-43.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₸158.1K

$817 ₸366.1K

-56.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₸104.7K

$499 ₸223.8K

-53.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 ₸285.7K

$1,512 ₸678.1K

-57.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$484 ₸217.1K

$918 ₸411.4K

-47.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,235 ₸553.6K

$2,535 ₸1.1M

-51.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$822 ₸368.4K

$1,543 ₸691.9K

-46.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$875 ₸392.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.25

20.61

-6.60%

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

Last update for Semey: September 15, 2026

Last update for Almaty: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Semey 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Semey versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $255 – making Semey 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

Semey vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 95%, 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 $1,061 per month in Semey 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 Semey, 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 $23.00 in Semey 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 $707 in Semey and $1,381 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Semey, where all-in costs run around $707, than in Almaty at $1,381. In Semey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Semey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Semey. 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.