Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Karaganda Cost of Living Comparison Between Dongguan and Karaganda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $805 in Dongguan versus $921 in Karaganda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Dongguan versus $1,460 in Karaganda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,716 in Dongguan versus $2,000 in Karaganda.

Living in Dongguan costs roughly 13% less than in Karaganda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dongguan 41% lower, Karaganda 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 ¥14.53

$9.55 ₸4,352

-77.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.45 ¥150

$34.35 ₸15.6K

-34.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.17 ¥34.62

$5.28 ₸2,406

-2.08%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ¥16.87

$1.93 ₸881

30.57%

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

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.90 ₸410

-43.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.59 ₸269

-50.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ¥5.94

$1.33 ₸607

-33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥14.70

$2.90 ₸1,321

-24.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥10.36

$1.24 ₸566

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.28

$0.44 ₸200

281.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.40

$1.24 ₸565

-23.39%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.18

$1.75 ₸799

-4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.69 ¥139

$12.90 ₸5,876

60.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 ¥24.04

$5.44 ₸2,477

-34.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 ¥98.2

$10.80 ₸4,922

35.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ¥14.78

$1.50 ₸682

47.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.68

$1.93 ₸880

-17.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.44

$2.76 ₸1,257

-32.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.53

$2.06 ₸938

-31.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$0.65 ₸296

86.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.84

$0.53 ₸242

177.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ¥3.68

$1.00 ₸458

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.59

$0.71 ₸325

-23.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ¥30.14

$2.19 ₸998

105.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.28 ¥82.3

$7.93 ₸3,613

54.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.07

$1.32 ₸600

-31.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.23

$2.06 ₸938

-11.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ¥2.57

$0.21 ₸95.4

80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.70 ¥152

$14.94 ₸6,805

51.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ¥8.10

$1.22 ₸554

-0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$1.21 ₸553

-66.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ¥30.77

$3.27 ₸1,488

40.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.19

$0.54 ₸247

125.93%

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

$19.5K ¥130.4K

$21.5K ₸9.8M

-9.41%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$31.0K ₸14.1M

-41.22%

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

$63.1 ¥423

$71.2 ₸32.4K

-11.31%

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

$9.28 ¥62.2

$9.80 ₸4,464

-5.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.74 ¥85.4

$11.80 ₸5,374

7.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 ¥347

$44.26 ₸20.2K

16.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 ¥109

$18.14 ₸8,265

-10.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 ¥50.9

$5.18 ₸2,361

46.53%

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

$529 ¥3,542

$129 ₸58.6K

310.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥157.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.53 ¥211

$58.8 ₸26.8K

-46.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 ¥265

$58.0 ₸26.4K

-31.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 ¥463

$75.2 ₸34.2K

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.86 ¥274

$85.9 ₸39.1K

-52.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 ¥2,508

$392 ₸178.3K

-4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 ¥1,479

$269 ₸122.6K

-17.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥4,396

$709 ₸323.1K

-7.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 ¥2,809

$533 ₸242.7K

-21.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,558 ¥37.2K

$1,027 ₸467.7K

441.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,047 ¥20.4K

$706 ₸321.7K

331.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 ¥5,656

$565 ₸257.4K

49.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

19.25

-82.34%

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

Last update for Dongguan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $374 in Dongguan and $392 in Karaganda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Dongguan vs $34.00 in Karaganda. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $210, with Karaganda cheaper for home cooking.

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

Dongguan vs Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dongguan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Dongguan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $374 in Dongguan versus $392 in Karaganda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dongguan runs roughly 52% less than in Karaganda. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $529 in Dongguan versus $129 in Karaganda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dongguan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Dongguan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Karaganda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.