Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Astana and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $956 a month against $1,131 in Astana, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Astana
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Astana Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
Learn more

Bansko Living Index

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Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,131

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Astana and in Bansko

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 Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,131 per month in Astana vs $956 in Bansko, rent included.

Astana $1,131
Bansko $956

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Astana vs $1,467 in Bansko, rent included.

Astana $1,809
Bansko $1,467

A family of three spends $2,486 per month in Astana vs $1,979 in Bansko, rent included.

Astana $2,486
Bansko $1,979

Astana costs about 18% more than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Astana and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Astana 16% lower, Bansko 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₸4,953

$8.66 BGN 15.06

26.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 ₸17.4K

$44.94 BGN 78.2

-14.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 ₸3,443

$8.78 BGN 15.28

-13.21%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₸1,191

$2.33 BGN 4.05

13.30%

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

$1.11 ₸500

$1.57 BGN 2.74

-29.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₸282

$0.82 BGN 1.43

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₸586

$1.68 BGN 2.92

-22.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₸988

$1.98 BGN 3.45

10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ₸578

$1.73 BGN 3.00

-26.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₸286

$0.80 BGN 1.40

-21.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₸741

$1.44 BGN 2.51

13.89%

Eggs

$2.23 ₸1,007

$2.36 BGN 4.10

-5.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 ₸5,383

$9.39 BGN 16.34

26.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 ₸2,637

$6.41 BGN 11.15

-9.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 ₸4,730

$8.48 BGN 14.76

23.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ₸823

$1.31 BGN 2.28

38.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₸1,046

$1.62 BGN 2.82

42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ₸1,001

$1.73 BGN 3.01

27.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₸985

$1.94 BGN 3.38

12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₸297

$0.94 BGN 1.63

-29.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₸208

$0.76 BGN 1.32

-39.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ₸694

$0.55 BGN 0.95

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸397

$0.59 BGN 1.02

49.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₸974

$3.25 BGN 5.66

-33.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 ₸5,080

$5.20 BGN 9.05

116.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₸617

$1.09 BGN 1.89

24.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₸1,100

$1.68 BGN 2.92

44.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₸103

$0.84 BGN 1.45

-72.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.87 ₸7,625

$27.06 BGN 47.09

-37.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ₸998

$1.34 BGN 2.34

64.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 ₸509

$0.65 BGN 1.14

73.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 ₸2,951

$10.06 BGN 17.51

-35.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 ₸285

$1.48 BGN 2.57

-57.43%

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

$24.4K ₸11.1M

$29.1K BGN 50.7K

-16.11%

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

$30.7K ₸13.9M

$20.9K BGN 36.4K

46.62%

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

$68.5 ₸30.9K

$92.4 BGN 161

-25.93%

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

$10.25 ₸4,633

$14.52 BGN 25.26

-29.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.92 ₸8,101

$12.32 BGN 21.43

45.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₸25.5K

$31.70 BGN 55.2

78.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.43 ₸9,237

$8.53 BGN 14.84

139.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ₸2,947

$5.62 BGN 9.78

16.01%

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

$369 ₸166.9K

$230 BGN 401

60.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ₸5.4M

$2,268 BGN 3,947

427.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 ₸29.9K

$30.10 BGN 52.4

119.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.16 ₸20.9K

$19.62 BGN 34.13

135.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₸53.5K

$45.86 BGN 79.8

158.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₸58.9K

$47.69 BGN 83.0

173.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 ₸261.5K

$518 BGN 902

11.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₸176.0K

$357 BGN 621

9.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 ₸518.1K

$614 BGN 1,069

86.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₸346.8K

$569 BGN 990

34.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,523 ₸688.6K

$1,191 BGN 2,073

27.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,124 ₸508.2K

$959 BGN 1,669

17.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 ₸400.7K

$1,704 BGN 2,965

-47.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.5

2.99

418.39%

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

Last update for Astana: October 10, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Astana

$389 34.4%

Bansko

$357 37.3% 8.3% $32

Groceries & Markets

Astana

$227 20.1%

Bansko

$192 20.1% 15.6% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Astana

$162 14.4%

Bansko

$64 6.7% 60.3% $98

Eating Out

Astana

$160 14.1%

Bansko

$145 15.2% 9% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Astana

$97 8.5%

Bansko

$119 12.5% 23.4% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Astana

$70 6.2%

Bansko

$43 4.5% 38.2% $27

Getting Around

Astana

$26 2.3%

Bansko

$35 3.7% 36.7% $9.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Astana versus $518 in Bansko. 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 92% higher in Bansko, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Astana versus $45.00 in Bansko. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Astana vs $192 in Bansko – so Bansko wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Astana

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

23:12 11:12 PM

20:12 8:12 PM

3 h behind Astana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

814,400 Capital

8,000

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Astana Bansko 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Astana
Bansko

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 Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,131 in Astana, $956 in Bansko – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,696 per month in Astana and $1,434 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $369 per month in Astana and $230 in Bansko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $956, than in Astana at $1,131. In Bansko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Astana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Astana has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $956 in Bansko to $1,131 in Astana. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bansko. 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.