Almaty - Post Report Question and Answers
What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Nothing really, we find everything here, some imported items such as maple syrup or European cheeses may be more expensive than in the US but still comparable. Excellent and cheap local dairy, meats, chocolate, amazing honey and great seasonal fruit. It’s home of apples, this is the meaning of word Almaty. - Sep 2023
This is not a consumables post, you can get almost anything for a price. If you drink beer or wine, ship it as you will pay a lot more for lower quality wine here. There are only a couple U.S. wines available here and they are overpriced (ex: cheap Carlo Rossi wine that costs US$6 in the U.S. costs US$15 in Kazakhstan). So if you want to save money, ship it. - Aug 2015
Exercise equipment for your house. Clothes (only luxury brands and cheap stuff from the markets are available). Most food items can be purchased here, but chocolate chips, American crackers, American cake mix, etc. aren't usually available. You can even buy salsa and taco shells...sometimes. So, if you really need a certain brand, bring it. When you vacation in Bangkok, stock up on cooking supplies. - Feb 2013
A treadmill. The dip pouch provides most of what Almaty cannot, but that's not much. - May 2012
Children's toys and games are very expensive here, especially large items like slides and swings, but also smaller items. For those that are part of the US diplomatic mission, anything in glass and liquids (as those are prohibited in the pouch). Also, any special foods, like chocolate chips (unless you have pouch service). PJs orders can be made by diplomatic staff for alcohol and some basic food items. There are some weirdly hard to find thing--decent potato chips or fresh milk that is pastuerized, for example, but most things can be found locally (ex. "Kirkland" brand cheddar cheese, peanut butter, pizza dough). - Mar 2010
Any comsumables that you can't live without....any favorite junk foods.....wine...tequilla.....snow tires.... - Mar 2008
