Cost of Living in Kazakhstan

RESTAURANTS

As already mentioned, prices in Kazakhstan are mostly reasonable when it comes to restaurants (and supermarkets/groceries) though if you cook by yourself you will save much more money.

A meal in an inexpensive restaurant will cost you a bit more than 6$, while a mid-range restaurant of sorts will offer you food for two for around 26$.

MARKETS

Prices in markets are very reasonable, especially if you go shopping for groceries in market chains such as Gros and Ramstore where you can find better quality and variety of food.

You can also make it cheaper if you shop at open markets that pop up a few days a week in most cities in Kazakhstan.

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation doesn’t function well in Kazakhstan, although they do have a metro.

It is relatively cheap though – not a bargain, again, and definitely not cheap in comparison to the service you’re getting – but still, cheap enough.

A one-way ticket for public transport costs a very reasonable 0.20$.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Utilities are definitely cheaper than in most European and American countries, especially the popular ones among tourists.

If you’re living in an apartment that is on the larger side, like 85m2, you will be expected to pay somewhere around 50$ a month.

Internet is literally a bargain – 11$ a month for a high-quality service.

SPORTS & LEISURE

Practicing sports or enjoying yourself some gym or fitness time will be relatively expensive wherever you go.

In Kazakhstan, at least, they’re not robbing you blind – it’s somewhere around 36$.

If you want to go to a cinema, a ticket for one seat costs around 4$ which is also relatively cheap for a pleasant afternoon watching movies.

CLOTHING & SHOES

Shopping for clothing, however, isn’t as cheap as everything else in this country.

Sure, you can find quality jeans like Levi’s that cost 64.0$ which is very reasonable, but in comparison to that, a simple shirt costing more than 35$ is definitely expensive.

Quality sneakers cost a bit above 70$.

RENT PER MONTH

Given the average salaries in Kazakhstan, one might argue that rent is definitely expensive, especially if you’d like to rent somewhere in the city.

So the rent does make it difficult to sort out your expenses, which is why it might be cheaper to look at the apartments outside of city centers, where you would pay less than 200$ for a one-bedroom apartment.

HEALTHCARE

Kazakhstan provides public healthcare funded through payroll contributions of about 2 to 5 percent of salary, with private insurance available mainly in cities.

Private plans usually cost 30 to 80 USD per month.

Out-of-pocket expenses average 300-600 USD per person per year, covering medications, specialist consultations, and hospital care.

With average monthly salaries of around 500 to 600 USD, healthcare costs can take a significant share of household income.

EDUCATION

Public primary and secondary schooling is free, but families pay for uniforms, books, and supplies.

Public universities charge tuition typically ranging from modest amounts up to a few thousand dollars per year, while private universities charge higher tuition.

Students pay additional housing, food, and transport costs.

Average monthly income is approximately $880 to $900, so education expenses, particularly higher education and private schooling, are a meaningful share of household income.