Comparison · Almaty vs Baku · Kazakhstan / Azerbaijan
Almaty vs Baku
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dauren Nabijan, CC0
Quick answer
Choose Almaty for Tian Shan mountains and Shymbulak ski resort; choose Baku for Old City and Maiden Tower, Flame Towers, beaches and a milder winter. Day-to-day costs are similar, and the two are about 2,251 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 2,251 km
- Less expensive
- About the same
- Best time for Almaty
- May–June and September
- Best time for Baku
- April–June and September–October
Side by side
| Almaty | Baku | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Kazakhstan | Azerbaijan |
| Known for | Tian Shan mountains, Shymbulak ski resort and Medeu skating rink | Old City and Maiden Tower, Flame Towers and Heydar Aliyev Center |
| Best time to visit | May–June and September | April–June and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 5 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $90–$180 | $90–$180 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | July, 30°C (86°F) | July, 30°C (86°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 0°C (32°F) | January, 7°C (45°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 6 | 7 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 5 |
| Beaches | — | Bilgah |
| Airports | ALA | GYD |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Almaty for…
Tian Shan mountains and Shymbulak ski resort. Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city and former capital, spreads across the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau, with peaks over 4,000 metres visible at the end of its leafy avenues. Its centre mixes Soviet modernist buildings, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral in…
Choose Baku for…
Old City and Maiden Tower, Flame Towers, beaches and a milder winter. Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, curves around a bay on the Caspian Sea's Absheron Peninsula. At its centre, the walled Old City (İçərişəhər) holds the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, both UNESCO-listed, inside lanes of caravanserais and carpet…
Top sights compared
| # | Almaty | Baku |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral) | Old City (İçərişəhər) |
| 2 | Green Bazaar | Maiden Tower |
| 3 | Kok Tobe | Palace of the Shirvanshahs |
| 4 | Medeu | Flame Towers |
| 5 | Shymbulak | Highland Park and the funicular |
Food compared
| Almaty | Baku |
|---|---|
| Beshbarmak | Plov |
| Lagman | Dolma |
| Plov | Qutab |
| Manti | Dushbara |
Which is cheaper?
Almaty and Baku cost about the same: a mid-range day is roughly $90–$180 in Almaty and $90–$180 in Baku (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Almaty on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 2,251 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 10 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Almaty or Baku cheaper?
Neither is clearly cheaper: a mid-range day costs about $90–$180 in Almaty and $90–$180 in Baku (estimates).
+Is Almaty or Baku better for a first trip?
Pick Almaty for Tian Shan mountains and Shymbulak ski resort, or Baku for Old City and Maiden Tower, Flame Towers, beaches and a milder winter.
+How far is Almaty from Baku?
About 2,251 km in a straight line.