Expats are likely to find that the cost of living in Kazakhstan can vary greatly from city to city, not to mention the ever-fluctuating value of the tenge, which makes it extremely difficult to generalise about common costs.
Mercer's 2022 Cost of Living Survey ranked Almaty as 219th out of 227 cities, indicating that it's an inexpensive city to live in compared to other popular expat destinations worldwide. The situation remains unpredictable, though, so it's important for expats to make sure they're up to date with Kazakhstan's current financial situation before making any commitments.
Cost of accommodation in Kazakhstan
Some expats are lucky enough to have accommodation provided as part of their employment contract, in which case they need not worry about the expenses involved. While this used to be the norm, it is unfortunately becoming rare, so most expats will need to bear this expense themselves.
Generally, accommodation costs more the closer it is to the city centre. There are a few modern apartment complexes, but old Soviet-style apartments are more common – naturally, these are cheaper, but might not be up to the standard of living that many expats are used to.
Cost of transport in Kazakhstan
Most public transport is inexpensive. It's comparatively pricier to travel by taxi, though fares are still cheaper than in many other countries around the world. It's costly to purchase a car, even second-hand, although petrol prices are usually reasonable.
Cost of food in Kazakhstan
The cost and quality of food in Kazakhstan vary according to season. In summer, local fruit and vegetables are inexpensive and of good quality. In winter, however, fruit and vegetables are expensive and tend to be poor-quality goods. To keep costs down, expats should do the bulk of their shopping in local bazaars and markets.
Cost of living in Kazakhstan chart
Prices may vary across Kazakhstan, depending on product and service provider. The list below shows average prices for Almaty in October 2022.
Accommodation (monthly rent) |
|
Three-bedroom apartment in city centre |
KZT 400,000 |
Three-bedroom apartment outside of city centre |
KZT 275,000 |
One-bedroom apartment in city centre |
KZT 225,000 |
One-bedroom apartment outside of city centre |
KZT 145,000 |
Groceries |
|
Milk (1 litre) |
KZT 461 |
Eggs (dozen) |
KZT 629 |
Loaf of white bread |
KZT 147 |
Rice (1kg) |
KZT 440 |
1 packet of cigarettes (Marlboro) |
KZT 645 |
Transportation |
|
City centre bus/train fare |
KZT 80 |
Taxi rate per kilometre |
KZT 225 |
Eating out |
|
Big Mac Meal |
KZT 2,500 |
Coca-Cola (330ml) |
KZT 333 |
Cappuccino |
KZT 919 |
Bottle of domestic beer |
KZT 600 |
Three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant for two |
KZT 15,000 |
Utilities |
|
Mobile-to-mobile call rate (per minute) |
KZT 13.70 |
Uncapped ADSL internet (per month) |
KZT 5,423 |
Utilities (average per month for standard household) |
KZT 23,035 |