Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Kazakhstan Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Kazakhstan

Name: Kazakhstan
Address: KZ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $758 in Kazakhstan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,189 in Kazakhstan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $1,620 in Kazakhstan.

Living in China costs about 6% less than in Kazakhstan on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Kazakhstan 44% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $523 to $1,194, compared to $553–$1,038 in Kazakhstan. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.51

$7.62 ₸3,568

-62.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.89 ¥163

$29.67 ₸13.9K

-19.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.61

$6.69 ₸3,132

-28.70%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥21.02

$2.03 ₸949

51.72%

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

$0.44 ¥2.99

$0.92 ₸432

-52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.49 ₸229

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ¥6.36

$1.16 ₸542

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.96

$2.33 ₸1,089

-12.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.16

$1.14 ₸535

56.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥10.94

$0.44 ₸208

263.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.70

$1.48 ₸694

-33.78%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.60

$1.66 ₸776

-6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 ¥90.3

$9.30 ₸4,352

42.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥23.13

$4.71 ₸2,204

-28.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.52 ¥71.9

$7.08 ₸3,313

48.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.59

$1.29 ₸603

42.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.89

$1.85 ₸868

-29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.03

$2.04 ₸955

-27.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.83

$1.89 ₸885

-39.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.94

$0.61 ₸287

18.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.40

$0.40 ₸185

135.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$1.09 ₸511

-44.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.61

$0.76 ₸356

-30.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ¥24.15

$1.92 ₸901

84.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$8.34 ₸3,905

42.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.39

$0.96 ₸451

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.51

$1.84 ₸863

-8.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.22 ₸103

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.98 ¥143

$14.44 ₸6,758

45.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.39

$1.20 ₸560

15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.40

$0.68 ₸317

-48.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥46.13

$4.82 ₸2,254

40.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.93

$0.46 ₸217

152.17%

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

$19.7K ¥134.8K

$21.9K ₸10.2M

-9.76%

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

$16.9K ¥115.8K

$25.8K ₸12.1M

-34.33%

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

$50.3 ¥344

$56.3 ₸26.4K

-10.67%

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

$10.04 ¥68.5

$8.93 ₸4,179

12.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.39 ¥77.8

$13.37 ₸6,258

-14.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.16 ¥274

$41.65 ₸19.5K

-3.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.68 ¥100

$15.69 ₸7,343

-6.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ¥42.39

$4.98 ₸2,329

24.70%

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

$402 ¥2,746

$244 ₸114.4K

64.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ¥119.1K

$7,051 ₸3.3M

147.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.39 ¥317

$64.5 ₸30.2K

-28.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.60 ¥223

$42.10 ₸19.7K

-22.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥487

$91.4 ₸42.8K

-22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 ¥511

$97.3 ₸45.5K

-23.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥2,931

$461 ₸216.0K

-7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,783

$308 ₸144.4K

-15.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ¥6,253

$892 ₸417.4K

2.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ¥3,725

$593 ₸277.4K

-8.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,127 ¥35.0K

$1,322 ₸619.0K

287.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,614 ¥17.9K

$939 ₸439.4K

178.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,061 ¥7,244

$647 ₸302.9K

63.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

17.91

-77.33%

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

Last update for China: April 12, 2026

Last update for Kazakhstan: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $333 in Kazakhstan. Capital cities: $914 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $481 in Astana.

National salary averages: $833 in China, $518 in Kazakhstan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Kazakhstan.

Dining out costs 29% more in Kazakhstan.

Public transport is 350% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 61% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

China vs Kazakhstan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $859 per month in China and $796 in Kazakhstan, there's a 8% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Kazakhstan is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in China beats Kazakhstan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Kazakhstan, $1,500 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Kazakhstan wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.