Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Atyrau and Aktau

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.

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

How much you'll spend in Atyrau and in Aktau

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

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

  • Atyrau $1,022
  • Aktau $790

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

  • Atyrau $1,690
  • Aktau $1,315

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

  • Atyrau $2,358
  • Aktau $1,840

Atyrau costs about 29% more than Aktau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.88 ₸4,502
$11.03 ₸5,023
-10.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.21 ₸16.9K
$43.54 ₸19.8K
-14.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.53 ₸3,432
$9.90 ₸4,511
-23.94%
Cappuccino
$2.13 ₸968
$2.59 ₸1,182
-17.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 ₸530
$0.79 ₸358
46.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ₸382
$0.49 ₸223
71.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.65 ₸750
$1.37 ₸623
20.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 ₸949
$1.59 ₸723
30.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 ₸797
$1.47 ₸672
19.05%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 ₸218
$0.50 ₸229
-4.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.01 ₸917
$1.90 ₸863
5.79%
Eggs
$1.55 ₸704
$1.69 ₸771
-8.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.16 ₸5,085
$10.02 ₸4,562
11.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 ₸3,805
$4.16 ₸1,893
100.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.11 ₸3,692
$8.58 ₸3,909
-5.48%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 ₸806
$1.53 ₸696
15.69%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 ₸1,247
$2.32 ₸1,059
18.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 ₸1,006
$2.34 ₸1,068
-5.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₸819
$2.78 ₸1,268
-35.25%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₸298
$0.66 ₸303
-1.52%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 ₸187
$0.57 ₸261
-28.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₸570
$1.48 ₸676
-15.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 ₸438
$0.91 ₸414
5.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.48 ₸1,130
$2.59 ₸1,181
-4.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.17 ₸4,177
$9.37 ₸4,267
-2.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 ₸627
$0.78 ₸356
76.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 ₸645
$0.92 ₸418
54.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 ₸155
$0.16 ₸70.7
112.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.99 ₸10.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 ₸701
$1.09 ₸498
41.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.72 ₸327
$0.64 ₸292
12.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.54 ₸2,979
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.66 ₸302
$0.66 ₸302
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7K ₸8.1M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0K ₸13.2M
$31.4K ₸14.3M
-7.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.1 ₸23.7K
$45.62 ₸20.8K
14.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ₸5,027
$8.07 ₸3,677
36.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.67 ₸6,683
$10.70 ₸4,872
37.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.3 ₸30.2K
$36.05 ₸16.4K
83.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.11 ₸4,605
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.15 ₸2,799
$3.03 ₸1,379
102.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$288 ₸131.2K
$146 ₸66.5K
97.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,426 ₸1.6M
$2,678 ₸1.2M
27.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.74 ₸14.9K
$67.3 ₸30.7K
-51.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.83 ₸20.4K
$39.80 ₸18.1K
12.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 ₸41.0K
$71.6 ₸32.6K
25.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.8 ₸40.9K
$89.2 ₸40.6K
0.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$530 ₸241.3K
$328 ₸149.6K
61.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$347 ₸158.0K
$193 ₸88.1K
79.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,146 ₸522.0K
$544 ₸247.7K
110.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$781 ₸355.8K
$393 ₸179.0K
98.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$946 ₸430.8K
$806 ₸367.3K
17.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$752 ₸342.5K
$657 ₸299.1K
14.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Atyrau
Aktau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$740 ₸337.1K
$553 ₸251.9K
33.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
30
14
114.29%

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

Last update for Atyrau: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aktau: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Atyrau
$347
Aktau
$193 44.2% $154
Groceries & Markets
Atyrau
$227
Aktau
$200 11.7% $27
Eating Out
Atyrau
$148
Aktau
$164 11.2% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Atyrau
$116
Aktau
$121 4.1% $4.7
Sport & Entertainment
Atyrau
$79
Aktau
$42 46.4% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Atyrau
$78
Aktau
$64 17.2% $13
Getting Around
Atyrau
$28
Aktau
$4.9 * 82.7% $24

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $530 in Atyrau versus $328 in Aktau. 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 $37 in Atyrau versus $44 in Aktau. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Atyrau vs $200 in Aktau – so Aktau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Atyrau
🇰🇿 Aktau
🕒 Local time
03:51 3:51 AM
03:51 3:51 AM
Same time as Atyrau
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
323,295
273,830
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 455 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 507 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

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

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
Atyrau vs Aktau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Atyrau or Aktau?
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 Atyrau and in Aktau?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,533 per month in Atyrau and $1,185 in Aktau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Atyrau or Aktau?
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 Atyrau and in Aktau?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Atyrau and $44 in Aktau. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Atyrau or in Aktau?
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 Atyrau compared to Aktau?
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 Atyrau or to Aktau?
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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