Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Astana and Karaganda

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaganda: $929 a month against $1,124 in Astana, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Astana
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Astana Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Karaganda
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Karaganda Living Index

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Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,124

/mo nomad

Karaganda

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$929

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Astana and in Karaganda

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

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Astana vs $929 in Karaganda, rent included.

Astana $1,124
Karaganda $929

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in Astana vs $1,498 in Karaganda, rent included.

Astana $1,806
Karaganda $1,498

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Astana vs $2,067 in Karaganda, rent included.

Astana $2,489
Karaganda $2,067

Astana costs about 21% more than Karaganda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Astana and Karaganda are more affordable than the global median – Astana 17% lower, Karaganda 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.19 ₸5,058

$9.92 ₸4,483

12.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₸17.1K

$34.77 ₸15.7K

8.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 ₸3,562

$5.62 ₸2,540

40.21%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₸1,185

$1.90 ₸861

37.89%

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

$1.10 ₸498

$0.87 ₸392

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₸286

$0.64 ₸290

-1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₸613

$1.37 ₸618

-0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₸985

$2.81 ₸1,271

-22.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₸567

$1.33 ₸602

-6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₸269

$0.48 ₸219

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₸731

$1.34 ₸605

20.90%

Eggs

$2.15 ₸972

$1.87 ₸845

14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 ₸5,401

$13.37 ₸6,043

-10.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 ₸2,625

$5.55 ₸2,510

4.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ₸4,815

$11.16 ₸5,043

-4.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸813

$1.51 ₸683

19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 ₸1,065

$1.89 ₸857

24.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ₸1,000

$2.78 ₸1,255

-20.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₸986

$2.09 ₸944

4.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₸302

$0.63 ₸284

6.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₸206

$0.54 ₸245

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ₸677

$1.04 ₸469

44.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₸402

$0.70 ₸315

27.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 ₸1,062

$2.18 ₸985

7.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 ₸5,068

$8.40 ₸3,798

33.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₸589

$1.36 ₸616

-4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₸1,063

$2.11 ₸955

11.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₸113

$0.23 ₸104

8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.52 ₸7,466

$15.45 ₸6,982

6.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 ₸1,008

$1.23 ₸558

81.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ₸490

$1.24 ₸562

-12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ₸3,056

$3.22 ₸1,457

109.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 ₸312

$0.52 ₸236

32.69%

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

$28.3K ₸12.8M

$21.6K ₸9.8M

30.97%

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

$31.5K ₸14.2M

$32.3K ₸14.6M

-2.36%

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

$67.1 ₸30.3K

$72.6 ₸32.8K

-7.52%

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

$9.97 ₸4,508

$9.86 ₸4,457

1.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.61 ₸7,962

$11.82 ₸5,342

48.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₸25.7K

$45.55 ₸20.6K

25.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 ₸9,419

$18.09 ₸8,179

15.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ₸2,877

$5.29 ₸2,390

20.42%

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

$364 ₸164.8K

$133 ₸59.9K

175.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₸5.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 ₸29.9K

$60.5 ₸27.4K

9.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.92 ₸21.2K

$57.6 ₸26.0K

-18.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₸53.4K

$79.0 ₸35.7K

49.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₸58.0K

$85.7 ₸38.7K

49.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 ₸259.9K

$400 ₸180.6K

43.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 ₸173.4K

$274 ₸123.7K

40.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 ₸519.2K

$730 ₸330.1K

57.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 ₸349.1K

$543 ₸245.7K

42.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 ₸704.5K

$1,053 ₸475.8K

48.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,138 ₸514.4K

$695 ₸314.0K

63.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$852 ₸385.2K

$566 ₸256.1K

50.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.83

19.25

-22.96%

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

Last update for Astana: October 19, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Astana

$384 34.1%

Karaganda

$274 29.5% 28.6% $110

Groceries & Markets

Astana

$227 20.2%

Karaganda

$216 23.3% 4.6% $10

Eating Out

Astana

$163 14.5%

Karaganda

$138 14.8% 15.5% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Astana

$162 14.4%

Karaganda

$127 13.7% 21.4% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Astana

$95 8.4%

Karaganda

$94 10.2% 0.5% $0.5

Sport & Entertainment

Astana

$70 6.2%

Karaganda

$56 6% 19.5% $14

Getting Around

Astana

$25 2.2%

Karaganda

$24 2.6% 5.4% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Astana versus $400 in Karaganda. 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 50% 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 $35.00 in Karaganda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $216 – making Karaganda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Astana

🇰🇿 Karaganda

🕒 Local time

19:19 7:19 PM

Same time as Astana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

814,400 Capital

520,486

💱 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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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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,124 in Astana, $929 in Karaganda – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,686 per month in Astana and $1,393 in Karaganda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $364 per month in Astana and $133 in Karaganda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 Karaganda, where all-in costs run around $929, than in Astana at $1,124. In Karaganda 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 $929 in Karaganda to $1,124 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 Karaganda. 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.