Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Astana and Aktobe

For one person, living is cheaper in Aktobe: $881 a month against $1,131 in Astana, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Astana
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Astana Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Aktobe
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Aktobe Living Index

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Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,131

/mo nomad

Aktobe

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$881

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Astana and in Aktobe

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

A single person spends $1,131 per month in Astana vs $881 in Aktobe, rent included.

Astana $1,131
Aktobe $881

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Astana vs $1,386 in Aktobe, rent included.

Astana $1,809
Aktobe $1,386

A family of three spends $2,486 per month in Astana vs $1,891 in Aktobe, rent included.

Astana $2,486
Aktobe $1,891

Astana costs about 28% more than Aktobe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Astana and Aktobe are more affordable than the global median – Astana 16% lower, Aktobe 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₸4,953

$8.74 ₸3,951

25.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 ₸17.4K

$40.63 ₸18.4K

-5.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 ₸3,443

$7.01 ₸3,170

8.70%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₸1,191

$2.47 ₸1,115

6.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₸500

$1.26 ₸567

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₸282

$0.61 ₸275

1.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₸586

$1.84 ₸831

-29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₸988

$2.95 ₸1,335

-25.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ₸578

$1.42 ₸641

-9.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₸286

$0.41 ₸184

53.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₸741

$0.93 ₸421

76.34%

Eggs

$2.23 ₸1,007

$1.77 ₸799

25.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 ₸5,383

$7.82 ₸3,535

52.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 ₸2,637

$5.68 ₸2,569

2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 ₸4,730

$9.10 ₸4,115

14.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ₸823

$1.62 ₸733

12.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₸1,046

$2.13 ₸964

8.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ₸1,001

$2.34 ₸1,058

-5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₸985

$1.94 ₸878

12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₸297

$0.84 ₸378

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₸208

$0.40 ₸181

15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ₸694

$1.09 ₸494

41.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸397

$0.69 ₸312

27.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₸974

$2.53 ₸1,142

-15.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 ₸5,080

$5.95 ₸2,689

88.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₸617

$1.08 ₸489

25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₸1,100

$1.81 ₸818

34.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₸103

$0.20 ₸90.8

15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.87 ₸7,625

$17.62 ₸7,966

-4.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ₸998

$1.08 ₸487

104.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 ₸509

$1.13 ₸511

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 ₸2,951

$5.53 ₸2,499

18.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 ₸285

$0.65 ₸294

-3.08%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.4K ₸11.1M

$23.1K ₸10.4M

5.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.7K ₸13.9M

$30.6K ₸13.8M

0.17%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$68.5 ₸30.9K

$55.8 ₸25.2K

22.80%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.25 ₸4,633

$10.35 ₸4,680

-0.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.92 ₸8,101

$20.93 ₸9,463

-14.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₸25.5K

$48.08 ₸21.7K

17.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.43 ₸9,237

$12.14 ₸5,490

68.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ₸2,947

$5.44 ₸2,458

19.85%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$369 ₸166.9K

$220 ₸99.6K

67.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ₸5.4M

$3,286 ₸1.5M

264.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 ₸29.9K

$54.4 ₸24.6K

21.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.16 ₸20.9K

$55.8 ₸25.2K

-17.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₸53.5K

$118 ₸53.3K

0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₸58.9K

$100 ₸45.3K

29.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 ₸261.5K

$307 ₸138.8K

88.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₸176.0K

$233 ₸105.5K

66.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 ₸518.1K

$453 ₸204.8K

152.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₸346.8K

$359 ₸162.3K

113.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,523 ₸688.6K

$846 ₸382.4K

80.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,124 ₸508.2K

$546 ₸247.0K

105.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 ₸400.7K

$548 ₸247.8K

61.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.5

-8.82%

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

Last update for Astana: October 10, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Astana

$389 34.4%

Aktobe

$234 26.5% 40% $156

Groceries & Markets

Astana

$227 20.1%

Aktobe

$185 21% 18.6% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Astana

$162 14.4%

Aktobe

$148 16.8% 9% $15

Eating Out

Astana

$160 14.1%

Aktobe

$143 16.3% 10.5% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Astana

$97 8.5%

Aktobe

$87 9.9% 9.9% $9.6

Sport & Entertainment

Astana

$70 6.2%

Aktobe

$59 6.7% 15.2% $11

Getting Around

Astana

$26 2.3%

Aktobe

$25 2.9% 1.8% $0.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Astana versus $307 in Aktobe. 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 62% higher in Astana, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Astana versus $41.00 in Aktobe. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Astana vs $185 in Aktobe – so Aktobe wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Astana

🇰🇿 Aktobe

🕒 Local time

14:48 2:48 PM

13:48 1:48 PM

1 h behind Astana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

814,400 Capital

570,452

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Astana Aktobe 1,000 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Astana
Aktobe

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

Astana vs Aktobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Astana is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,696 per month in Astana and $1,321 in Aktobe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktobe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Astana, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Astana and $41.00 in Aktobe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aktobe, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Astana at $1,131. In Aktobe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Astana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aktobe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aktobe. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Astana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.