Cost of Living Comparison Between Atyrau and Karaganda Cost of Living Comparison Between Atyrau and Karaganda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,006 per month in Atyrau vs $921 in Karaganda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Atyrau vs $1,460 in Karaganda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,263 per month in Atyrau vs $2,000 in Karaganda, rent included.

Atyrau costs about 9% more than Karaganda, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Atyrau and Karaganda are more affordable than the global median – Atyrau 27% lower, Karaganda 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.80 ₸4,464

$9.55 ₸4,352

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.21 ₸16.5K

$34.35 ₸15.6K

5.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ₸3,176

$5.28 ₸2,406

32.01%

Cappuccino

$1.99 ₸905

$1.93 ₸881

3.11%

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

$1.12 ₸511

$0.90 ₸410

24.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₸343

$0.59 ₸269

27.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 ₸732

$1.33 ₸607

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₸960

$2.90 ₸1,321

-27.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸769

$1.24 ₸566

36.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₸213

$0.44 ₸200

6.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ₸883

$1.24 ₸565

56.45%

Eggs

$1.54 ₸700

$1.75 ₸799

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 ₸4,844

$12.90 ₸5,876

-17.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 ₸3,862

$5.44 ₸2,477

55.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 ₸3,577

$10.80 ₸4,922

-27.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸819

$1.50 ₸682

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 ₸1,157

$1.93 ₸880

31.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ₸1,019

$2.76 ₸1,257

-18.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ₸780

$2.06 ₸938

-16.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ₸275

$0.65 ₸296

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₸197

$0.53 ₸242

-18.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₸557

$1.00 ₸458

22.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₸413

$0.71 ₸325

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ₸1,106

$2.19 ₸998

10.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.44 ₸4,300

$7.93 ₸3,613

19.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₸590

$1.32 ₸600

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ₸624

$2.06 ₸938

-33.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₸157

$0.21 ₸95.4

61.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 ₸9,735

$14.94 ₸6,805

43.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₸700

$1.22 ₸554

26.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₸295

$1.21 ₸553

-46.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 ₸3,023

$3.27 ₸1,488

103.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 ₸276

$0.54 ₸247

12.96%

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

$17.5K ₸8.0M

$21.5K ₸9.8M

-18.73%

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

$29.0K ₸13.2M

$31.0K ₸14.1M

-6.41%

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

$50.6 ₸23.0K

$71.2 ₸32.4K

-28.99%

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

$10.79 ₸4,913

$9.80 ₸4,464

10.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.38 ₸6,549

$11.80 ₸5,374

21.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 ₸29.5K

$44.26 ₸20.2K

46.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.86 ₸4,491

$18.14 ₸8,265

-45.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 ₸2,787

$5.18 ₸2,361

18.15%

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

$281 ₸128.2K

$129 ₸58.6K

118.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,445 ₸1.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.70 ₸14.9K

$58.8 ₸26.8K

-44.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.73 ₸19.9K

$58.0 ₸26.4K

-24.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 ₸39.9K

$75.2 ₸34.2K

16.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 ₸39.2K

$85.9 ₸39.1K

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₸231.6K

$392 ₸178.3K

29.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ₸154.6K

$269 ₸122.6K

26.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 ₸494.0K

$709 ₸323.1K

52.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₸350.9K

$533 ₸242.7K

44.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 ₸432.2K

$1,027 ₸467.7K

-7.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$747 ₸340.4K

$706 ₸321.7K

5.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$710 ₸323.4K

$565 ₸257.4K

25.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.25

55.84%

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

Last update for Atyrau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Atyrau versus $392 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 26% higher in Atyrau, 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 $36.00 in Atyrau versus $34.00 in Karaganda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $210 – making Karaganda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,006 in Atyrau, $921 in Karaganda – roughly 9% apart. Atyrau costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,509 per month in Atyrau and $1,381 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 $281 per month in Atyrau and $129 in Karaganda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Atyrau, 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 $921, than in Atyrau at $1,006. In Karaganda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Atyrau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karaganda – 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 Karaganda. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atyrau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.