Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yantai and Almaty

For one person, living is cheaper in Yantai: $629 a month against $1,372 in Almaty, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Yantai
🇨🇳 China
$629
/mo nomad
Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,372
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yantai 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 Yantai and in Almaty actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $629 per month in Yantai vs $1,372 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Yantai $629
  • Almaty $1,372

A couple spends around $926 per month in Yantai vs $2,142 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Yantai $926
  • Almaty $2,142

A family of three spends $1,223 per month in Yantai vs $2,913 in Almaty, rent included.

  • Yantai $1,223
  • Almaty $2,913

Yantai is about 54% cheaper than Almaty, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Yantai sits 53% below the global median, while Almaty is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.92 ¥19.55
$13.16 ₸5,949
-77.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.14 ¥121
$44.86 ₸20.3K
-59.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.58 ¥30.65
$8.90 ₸4,022
-48.54%
Cappuccino
$2.81 ¥18.78
$3.25 ₸1,469
-13.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 ¥3.58
$1.41 ₸639
-61.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 ¥2.15
$0.88 ₸399
-63.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.05 ¥7.01
$3.35 ₸1,513
-68.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 ¥17.39
$4.04 ₸1,827
-35.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 ¥13.11
$1.69 ₸762
15.98%
White Bread (500g)
$1.35 ¥9.01
$0.86 ₸390
56.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.83 ¥5.58
$2.03 ₸917
-59.11%
Eggs
$1.35 ¥9.02
$2.43 ₸1,100
-44.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.32 ¥109
$12.46 ₸5,632
30.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.28 ¥21.94
$6.71 ₸3,033
-51.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.89 ¥46.04
$10.85 ₸4,905
-36.50%
Apples (1kg)
$1.37 ¥9.19
$1.80 ₸813
-23.89%
Banana (1kg)
$0.89 ¥5.98
$2.25 ₸1,018
-60.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.07 ¥7.16
$2.91 ₸1,314
-63.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.74 ¥4.92
$2.75 ₸1,243
-73.09%
Potato (1kg)
$0.67 ¥4.49
$0.75 ₸337
-10.67%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 ¥5.24
$0.55 ₸248
41.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 ¥3.91
$1.62 ₸732
-64.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 ¥4.19
$1.05 ₸474
-40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.65 ¥24.39
$2.58 ₸1,167
41.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.68 ¥78.1
$11.15 ₸5,042
4.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ¥5.25
$1.21 ₸547
-35.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 ¥6.88
$2.44 ₸1,104
-57.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 ¥1.40
$0.26 ₸117
-19.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.03 ₸9,957
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ¥9.11
$1.35 ₸611
0.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 ¥1.92
$0.64 ₸288
-54.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.48 ¥43.30
$11.16 ₸5,044
-41.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ¥8.20
$0.72 ₸324
70.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K ¥129.0K
$22.5K ₸10.2M
-14.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.4K ¥109.8K
$30.3K ₸13.7M
-45.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.64 ¥298
$91.8 ₸41.5K
-51.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.79 ¥45.37
$10.66 ₸4,820
-36.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.09 ¥40.75
$17.86 ₸8,072
-65.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.60 ¥198
$70.3 ₸31.8K
-57.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.43 ¥49.69
$27.60 ₸12.5K
-73.08%
Cinema Ticket
$5.44 ¥36.37
$6.78 ₸3,064
-19.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$363 ¥2,426
$449 ₸202.9K
-19.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ¥111.2K
$12.1K ₸5.5M
37.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.97 ¥120
$89.9 ₸40.7K
-80.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.78 ¥152
$47.02 ₸21.3K
-51.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.7 ¥626
$142 ₸64.1K
-33.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.2 ¥603
$133 ₸60.0K
-32.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$223 ¥1,490
$805 ₸363.7K
-72.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$151 ¥1,010
$500 ₸225.9K
-69.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$353 ¥2,358
$1,429 ₸645.9K
-75.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$147 ¥982
$904 ₸408.8K
-83.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,056 ¥20.4K
$2,503 ₸1.1M
22.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,096 ¥34.1K
$1,559 ₸704.7K
226.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yantai
Almaty
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,063 ¥7,107
$870 ₸393.3K
22.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.37
20.65
-83.68%

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

Last update for Yantai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Almaty: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Yantai
$191
Almaty
$250 31.2% $59
Accommodation & Living
Yantai
$151
Almaty
$500 231% $349
Clothing & Footwear
Yantai
$101
Almaty
$185 83.2% $84
Eating Out
Yantai
$85
Almaty
$205 142% $120
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yantai
$58
Almaty
$120 109% $63
Sport & Entertainment
Yantai
$40
Almaty
$84 107% $43
Getting Around
Yantai
$3.6 *
Almaty
$28 658% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $223 in Yantai 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 22% higher in Yantai, 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 $18.00 in Yantai versus $45.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $250 – making Yantai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Yantai
🇰🇿 Almaty
🕒 Local time
23:12 11:12 PM
21:12 9:12 PM
2 h behind Yantai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,871,000
1,475,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yantai Almaty 3,780 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yantai
  • 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
Yantai vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Almaty cheaper than Yantai?
Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 118%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $944 per month in Yantai and $2,058 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yantai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Yantai and in Almaty?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $629 in Yantai and $1,372 in Almaty. That's a gap of about 118%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $363 per month in Yantai and $449 in Almaty. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Yantai or in Almaty?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yantai, where all-in costs run around $629, than in Almaty at $1,372. In Yantai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Yantai or Almaty more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Yantai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Yantai. 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.

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