Kazakhstan · Visit or make it home

Almaty

Almaty is a city in Kazakhstan. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Almaty — Almaty Kök Töbe

Get to know Almaty

A sense of the place

Almaty is the most populous city in Kazakhstan, with more than two million residents. It was formerly named Alma-Ata. It lies in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains in southern Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan, at an elevation of 700–900 metres , with the Big Almaty and Small Almaty rivers running through it. Almaty is the second-largest city in Central Asia and the fourth-largest in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Almaty was the capital of Kazakhstan from 1929 to 1991 and after independence until 1997, when the capital was moved to Akmola . It is classified as a city of republican significance. Almaty has hosted international events, including the Alma-Ata Primary Healthcare Conference in 1978, the 2011 Asian Winter Games, and the 2017 Winter Universiade. The city was also a contender to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, but ultimately lost the bid to Beijing. It has been a UNESCO Creative City of Music since 2017, and classified as a Gamma+ level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

Weather through the year

When to visit Almaty

Temperature

July has the warmest monthly average (26.9°C); January is coolest (-0.9°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

April averages about 77 mm of rain, compared with 22 mm in September. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.

Planning time outdoors

April, May, September, October combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in July, August. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

January, February, December have monthly means below 5°C. For a stay then, compare accommodation heating and keep indoor options in your itinerary. These figures do not establish snow cover or ski conditions.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C-0.91.27.913.419.024.226.925.519.712.55.2-0.1
Rain, mm232946776446312422374128

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Almaty

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Almaty

What is the average rent in Almaty?

A verified average rent for Almaty is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Almaty

What is the average salary in Almaty?

673.4 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2022. It describes Kazakhstan, not average salary in Almaty. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2022 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Almaty with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Almaty, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

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A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Almaty in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Almaty at a glance

Kazakhstan: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Almaty. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators
What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Annual sunshine hours; Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Almaty with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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