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Almaty vs Astana cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฐ๐ฟ Almaty
๐ฐ๐ฟ Astana
At a glance
- Where Astana is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (86%โ), Haircut (40%โ), Studio rent (month) (31%โ)
- Where Almaty is clearly cheaper: Laundry (50%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Almaty | Astana | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โธ 3,000$5.77 | โธ 3,000$5.77 | similar |
| Street food1 item | โธ 1,500$2.88 | โธ 1,500$2.88 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โธ 8,000$15.4 | โธ 7,500$14.4 | Astana โ6% |
| Coffeeone cup | โธ 1,500$2.88 | โธ 1,500$2.88 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | โธ 1,400$2.69 | โธ 1,200$2.31 | Astana โ14% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โธ 3,500$6.73 | โธ 3,000$5.77 | Astana โ14% |
| Bottled water | โธ 250$0.48 | โธ 250$0.48 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โธ 500$0.96 | โธ 400$0.77 | Astana โ20% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โธ 1,300$2.5 | โธ 1,000$1.92 | Astana โ23% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โธ 800$1.54 | โธ 600$1.15 | Astana โ25% |
| Transitone ride | โธ 120$0.23 | โธ 110$0.21 | Astana โ8% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โธ 6,000$11.5 | โธ 5,000$9.62 | Astana โ17% |
| Hotel night3-star | โธ 30,000$57.7 | โธ 30,000$57.7 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | โธ 290,000$558 | โธ 200,000$385 | Astana โ31% |
| Laundry | โธ 1,500$2.88 | โธ 3,000$5.77 | Almaty โ50% |
| SIM card1 week data | โธ 3,500$6.73 | โธ 3,500$6.73 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โธ 5,000$9.62 | โธ 3,000$5.77 | Astana โ40% |
| Massage1 hour | โธ 12,000$23.1 | โธ 12,000$23.1 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | โธ 18,000$34.6 | โธ 15,000$28.8 | Astana โ17% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โธ 5,000$9.62 | โธ 700$1.35 | Astana โ86% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Almaty or Astana?
Astana is 12% cheaper than Almaty. Daily budget $104 vs $102; a month $2,002 vs $1,580.
Which is easier to travel, Almaty or Astana?
About the same: Almaty 2.4/5, Astana 2.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Almaty and Astana?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Almaty is about $2,002 and Astana about $1,580 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.