Cost of Living in Kazakhstan

You’ll likely find that the cost of living in Kazakhstan can vary significantly from city to city, not to mention the ever-fluctuating value of the tenge, which makes it extremely difficult to generalise about expected costs. Mercer’s 2024 Cost of Living Survey ranked Almaty as 191st out of 226 cities, indicating that it’s an inexpensive city to live in compared to other popular expat destinations worldwide.

Cost of accommodation in Kazakhstan

Some employers provide accommodation benefits as part of their employees’ contracts, in which case, you needn’t worry about the expenses involved as the employee. While this was the norm, it is unfortunately becoming rare, so you’ll likely need to bear this expense yourself.

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 you may be used to.

You’ll also likely be responsible for paying your utilities, which include water, electricity, and WiFi. Due to increased demand, electricity prices often increase in winter, so we advise that you prepare for this.

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. Although petrol prices are usually reasonable, purchasing a car, even second-hand, is costly.

Cost of groceries in Kazakhstan

The cost and quality of food in Kazakhstan vary according to season. In summer, local fruit and vegetables are cheap and of good quality.

In winter, however, fruit and vegetables are expensive and tend to be poor-quality goods. To keep costs down, we recommend doing the bulk of your shopping in local bazaars and markets.

Cost of entertainment and eating out in Kazakhstan

The lifestyle in Kazakhstan is varied and allows for outdoor, leisure, and shopping activities. Kazakhstan’s gorgeous natural landscape allows its residents to take part in skiing, hiking and kayaking at little to no cost, while shopping enthusiasts can reduce their entertainment expenses by haggling with traders at traditional Kazakh markets and bazaars.

Eating out in Kazakhstan is affordable. If you live in a major city such as Almaty and Astana, you will find a range of dining options. The cuisine options may be more limited in rural areas.

Cost of healthcare in Kazakhstan

Public healthcare in Kazakhstan is chronically underfunded and not up to the standard you may be used to. As such, most employers will sponsor their employees’ health insurance.

This allows them to access private healthcare services in the country. That said, if you have more severe ailments, you will still be evacuated to neighbouring countries to receive the best care possible.

Cost of education in Kazakhstan

While Kazakhstan boasts a 100 percent literacy rate, education and schools in the country have varying standards due to underfunding. The language of instruction is typically Kazakh or Russian, making public schools largely unfeasible for expat children. Therefore, most expat parents send their children to international schools in Kazakhstan.

International schools are typically quite hefty, but they boast globally recognised curricula, excellent teaching standards and a wider variety of extracurricular activities. Parents are encouraged to request an education allowance as part of their relocation packages to cover these costs.