Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktau and Atyrau

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktau: $790 a month against $1,022 in Atyrau, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aktau, Kazakhstan
Atyrau, Kazakhstan
Aktau
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$790
/mo nomad
Atyrau
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,022
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aktau and in Atyrau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aktau and in Atyrau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $790 per month in Aktau vs $1,022 in Atyrau, rent included.

  • Aktau $790
  • Atyrau $1,022

A couple spends around $1,315 per month in Aktau vs $1,690 in Atyrau, rent included.

  • Aktau $1,315
  • Atyrau $1,690

A family of three spends $1,840 per month in Aktau vs $2,358 in Atyrau, rent included.

  • Aktau $1,840
  • Atyrau $2,358

Aktau is about 23% cheaper than Atyrau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Aktau and Atyrau are more affordable than the global median – Aktau 42% lower, Atyrau 25% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.03 ₸5,002
$9.88 ₸4,484
11.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.54 ₸19.7K
$37.21 ₸16.9K
17.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.90 ₸4,492
$7.53 ₸3,417
31.47%
Cappuccino
$2.59 ₸1,177
$2.13 ₸964
21.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 ₸356
$1.16 ₸528
-31.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₸222
$0.84 ₸381
-41.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.37 ₸620
$1.65 ₸747
-16.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₸720
$2.08 ₸945
-23.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 ₸669
$1.75 ₸794
-16.00%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 ₸228
$0.48 ₸218
4.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 ₸860
$2.01 ₸913
-5.47%
Eggs
$1.69 ₸768
$1.55 ₸701
9.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.02 ₸4,543
$11.16 ₸5,064
-10.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.16 ₸1,885
$8.35 ₸3,789
-50.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.58 ₸3,892
$8.11 ₸3,677
5.80%
Apples (1kg)
$1.53 ₸693
$1.77 ₸803
-13.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.32 ₸1,054
$2.74 ₸1,242
-15.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 ₸1,063
$2.21 ₸1,002
5.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.78 ₸1,262
$1.80 ₸816
54.44%
Potato (1kg)
$0.66 ₸301
$0.65 ₸297
1.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.57 ₸260
$0.41 ₸186
39.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 ₸673
$1.25 ₸568
18.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ₸413
$0.96 ₸436
-5.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.59 ₸1,176
$2.48 ₸1,125
4.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.37 ₸4,249
$9.17 ₸4,160
2.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ₸354
$1.38 ₸625
-43.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 ₸417
$1.42 ₸643
-35.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 ₸70.4
$0.34 ₸155
-52.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$21.99 ₸9,973
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.09 ₸496
$1.54 ₸698
-29.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸291
$0.72 ₸326
-11.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$6.54 ₸2,967
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.66 ₸301
$0.66 ₸301
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$17.7K ₸8.0M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K ₸14.2M
$29.0K ₸13.1M
8.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.62 ₸20.7K
$52.1 ₸23.6K
-12.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.07 ₸3,662
$11.04 ₸5,006
-26.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.70 ₸4,852
$14.67 ₸6,655
-27.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.05 ₸16.4K
$66.3 ₸30.1K
-45.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.11 ₸4,586
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.03 ₸1,373
$6.15 ₸2,788
-50.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 ₸66.2K
$288 ₸130.7K
-49.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,678 ₸1.2M
$3,426 ₸1.6M
-21.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.3 ₸30.5K
$32.74 ₸14.9K
105.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.80 ₸18.1K
$44.83 ₸20.3K
-11.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.6 ₸32.5K
$90.1 ₸40.9K
-20.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.2 ₸40.5K
$89.8 ₸40.7K
-0.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$328 ₸149.0K
$530 ₸240.3K
-38.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$193 ₸87.8K
$347 ₸157.4K
-44.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$544 ₸246.7K
$1,146 ₸519.8K
-52.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 ₸178.2K
$781 ₸354.3K
-49.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$806 ₸365.8K
$946 ₸429.0K
-14.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$657 ₸297.9K
$752 ₸341.1K
-12.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aktau
Atyrau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$553 ₸250.8K
$740 ₸335.7K
-25.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14
30
-53.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aktau: October 25, 2026

Last update for Atyrau: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Aktau
$200
Atyrau
$227 13.3% $27
Accommodation & Living
Aktau
$193
Atyrau
$347 79.3% $154
Eating Out
Aktau
$164
Atyrau
$148 10.1% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Aktau
$121
Atyrau
$116 3.9% $4.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aktau
$64
Atyrau
$78 20.8% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Aktau
$42
Atyrau
$79 86.6% $36
Getting Around
Aktau
$4.9 *
Atyrau
$28 479% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Aktau versus $530 in Atyrau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 34% higher in Atyrau. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Aktau versus $37 in Atyrau. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Aktau vs $227 in Atyrau – so Aktau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Aktau
🇰🇿 Atyrau
🕒 Local time
06:59 6:59 AM
06:59 6:59 AM
Same time as Aktau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
273,830
323,295
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 454 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aktau Atyrau 390 km
From you
  • Aktau
  • Atyrau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Aktau vs Atyrau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aktau or Atyrau?
Atyrau costs about 29% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Aktau and in Atyrau?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,185 per month in Aktau and $1,533 in Atyrau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Aktau or Atyrau?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $328 there versus $530 in Atyrau.
How do dining costs compare in Aktau and in Atyrau?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Aktau and $37 in Atyrau. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Aktau or in Atyrau?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Atyrau, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Aktau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Aktau compared to Atyrau?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Aktau or to Atyrau?
If budget matters most, go with Aktau. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atyrau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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