Cost of Living: Almaty vs Tenerife (2026)

Kazakhstan vs Spain — relocation comparison

TL;DRAlmaty is 38% cheaper on rent ($756/mo vs $1217/mo). Tenerife is safer — homicide rate 0.9 vs 2.6 per 100k. Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.
59
Livability Score
🇰🇿 Almaty
Kazakhstan
Full profile
68
Livability Score
🇪🇸 Tenerife
Spain
Full profile
Tenerife edges ahead 68 to 59. Almaty isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.
💰
Cost of Living
Almaty
$461/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Tenerife
0.9 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Tenerife
8.1/10 EIU index
🗣️
English
Tenerife
higher proficiency score
Almaty
Metric
Tenerife
$756/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$1217/mo
$361/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$575/mo
$2,640
🧳
Cost to land
$5,941
2.6 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
0.9 / 100k
28°C
☀️
Summer high
27°C
-9°C
❄️
Winter low
15°C
133 Mbps
Internet speed
3.1 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
8.1 / 10
Low (22/100)
🗣️
English ease
High (62/100)
$41k
💼
GDP per capita
$58k
8.7%
📈
Inflation
2.8%
59 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
68 / 100

For the Kids

Schools, pediatric care, and whether your children can actually enroll

411
PISA
country avg
477
3
Intl schools
15
$352/mo
Childcare
full-day
$397/mo

Sources: OECD PISA 2022 · Wikipedia · Numbeo · official health systems

Settler Essentials

stable
Democracy trend
stable

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals

The Short Version

  • Rent is 38% cheaper in Almaty ($756/mo vs $1217/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are slightly warmer in Almaty (28°C vs 27°C).
  • Tenerife is safer by homicide rate (0.9 vs 2.6 per 100k).
  • Tenerife scores higher on democracy (8.1 vs 3.1 / 10 EIU).
  • English is easier to get by in Tenerife (62/100 vs 22/100 English proficiency).

Almaty vs Tenerife — Common Questions

Is Almaty cheaper than Tenerife?

Almaty is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $756/month in Almaty vs $1217/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Almaty or Tenerife?

Tenerife is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Almaty has a rate of 2.63 per 100,000 and Tenerife has 0.95 per 100,000.

Should I move to Almaty or Tenerife?

Tenerife edges ahead 68 to 59. Almaty isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Can I live in Almaty or Tenerife without speaking the local language?

English is easier to get by in Tenerife (EF EPI score: 62/100) than in Almaty (22/100). In Tenerife, daily life and professional settings often work in English. In Almaty, learning some of the local language will make long-term settlement significantly smoother.

Don't agree? Take the quiz and see what fits you.

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