Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Setia Alam: $913 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Setia Alam
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Setia Alam Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Almaty
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Almaty Living Index

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Setia Alam

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$913

/mo nomad

Almaty

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Setia Alam and in Almaty

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Setia Alam and in Almaty actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $913 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,372 in Almaty, rent included.

Setia Alam $913
Almaty $1,372

A couple spends around $1,358 per month in Setia Alam vs $2,142 in Almaty, rent included.

Setia Alam $1,358
Almaty $2,142

A family of three spends $1,803 per month in Setia Alam vs $2,913 in Almaty, rent included.

Setia Alam $1,803
Almaty $2,913

Setia Alam is about 33% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Setia Alam sits 32% below the global median, while Almaty is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 MYR 19.61

$13.16 ₸5,949

-63.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.57 MYR 100

$44.86 ₸20.3K

-45.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 MYR 20.22

$8.90 ₸4,022

-44.27%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MYR 11.27

$3.25 ₸1,469

-15.08%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.23

$1.41 ₸639

-43.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.93

$0.88 ₸399

-46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 MYR 17.63

$3.35 ₸1,513

28.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 MYR 24.50

$4.04 ₸1,827

48.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MYR 6.09

$1.69 ₸762

-11.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MYR 2.92

$0.86 ₸390

-16.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.59 MYR 2.42

$2.03 ₸917

-70.94%

Eggs

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$2.43 ₸1,100

-50.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 MYR 56.4

$12.46 ₸5,632

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.83

$6.71 ₸3,033

-64.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.83

$10.85 ₸4,905

-77.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.04

$1.80 ₸813

-31.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$2.25 ₸1,018

-18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.11

$2.91 ₸1,314

-57.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$2.75 ₸1,243

-56.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MYR 2.89

$0.75 ₸337

-5.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MYR 3.03

$0.55 ₸248

34.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 MYR 2.87

$1.62 ₸732

-56.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$1.05 ₸474

-31.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.64

$2.58 ₸1,167

67.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.60 MYR 80.0

$11.15 ₸5,042

75.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.59 MYR 14.64

$1.21 ₸547

196.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.84

$2.44 ₸1,104

99.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$0.26 ₸117

192.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.31 MYR 50.2

$22.03 ₸9,957

-44.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 MYR 5.06

$1.35 ₸611

-8.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.64 ₸288

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 19.49

$11.16 ₸5,044

-57.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.95

$0.72 ₸324

-33.33%

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

$39.2K MYR 159.9K

$22.5K ₸10.2M

73.99%

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

$33.0K MYR 134.7K

$30.3K ₸13.7M

9.10%

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

$61.2 MYR 250

$91.8 ₸41.5K

-33.37%

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

$8.52 MYR 34.77

$10.66 ₸4,820

-20.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 MYR 106

$17.86 ₸8,072

45.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.73 MYR 203

$70.3 ₸31.8K

-29.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.97 MYR 28.44

$27.60 ₸12.5K

-74.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MYR 20.82

$6.78 ₸3,064

-24.78%

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

$135 MYR 551

$449 ₸202.9K

-69.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,885 MYR 32.2K

$12.1K ₸5.5M

-34.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 MYR 296

$89.9 ₸40.7K

-19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.31 MYR 111

$47.02 ₸21.3K

-41.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.8 MYR 220

$142 ₸64.1K

-62.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.56 MYR 149

$133 ₸60.0K

-72.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 MYR 2,160

$805 ₸363.7K

-34.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 MYR 1,319

$500 ₸225.9K

-35.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 MYR 3,562

$1,429 ₸645.9K

-38.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 MYR 2,238

$904 ₸408.8K

-39.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,992 MYR 8,128

$2,503 ₸1.1M

-20.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 MYR 4,498

$1,559 ₸704.7K

-29.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,143 MYR 4,663

$870 ₸393.3K

31.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.65

-80.63%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: October 10, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Setia Alam

$323 35.4%

Almaty

$500 36.4% 54.6% $176

Groceries & Markets

Setia Alam

$200 21.9%

Almaty

$250 18.3% 25% $50

Eating Out

Setia Alam

$125 13.7%

Almaty

$205 14.9% 63.7% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Setia Alam

$96 10.5%

Almaty

$120 8.8% 25.7% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Setia Alam

$86 9.4%

Almaty

$185 13.5% 116% $100

Sport & Entertainment

Setia Alam

$60 6.6%

Almaty

$84 6.1% 40% $24

Getting Around

Setia Alam

$23 2.5%

Almaty

$28 2% 22.4% $5.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $529 in Setia Alam versus $805 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 31% higher in Setia Alam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Setia Alam versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $250 – making Setia Alam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Setia Alam

🇰🇿 Almaty

🕒 Local time

20:16 8:16 PM

18:16 6:16 PM

2 h behind Setia Alam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

150,000

1,475,400

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Setia Alam Almaty 5,080 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Setia Alam
Almaty

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

Setia Alam vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 50%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,369 per month in Setia Alam and $2,058 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setia Alam, 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 $25.00 in Setia Alam 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 $913 in Setia Alam and $1,372 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 50%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setia Alam, where all-in costs run around $913, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Setia Alam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setia Alam – 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 Setia Alam. 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.