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: $752 in Dongguan versus $750 in Karaganda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,177 in Dongguan versus $1,184 in Karaganda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,602 in Dongguan versus $1,617 in Karaganda.

Monthly costs are close between Dongguan and Karaganda; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dongguan 44% lower, Karaganda 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.47 ¥16.70

$8.45 ₸3,969

-70.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.71 ¥140

$29.19 ₸13.7K

-29.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.37 ¥29.54

$4.97 ₸2,334

-12.07%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ¥17.65

$1.85 ₸871

41.08%

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

$0.42 ¥2.83

$0.65 ₸304

-35.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.80

$0.46 ₸217

-41.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.56

$1.01 ₸474

10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ¥14.74

$2.96 ₸1,391

-26.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ¥11.37

$1.02 ₸477

64.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ¥9.95

$0.46 ₸217

219.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.55

$1.24 ₸581

-21.77%

Eggs

$1.79 ¥12.13

$1.72 ₸808

4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ¥86.6

$9.63 ₸4,526

33.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 ¥27.08

$4.26 ₸2,004

-5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 ¥76.3

$7.18 ₸3,375

57.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.72

$1.30 ₸613

44.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.57

$1.43 ₸672

-0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.30

$1.97 ₸927

-7.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.09

$1.93 ₸905

-30.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.46

$0.59 ₸278

62.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.77

$0.38 ₸177

281.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.20

$1.01 ₸475

-38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.75 ₸352

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$1.74 ₸817

63.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 ¥101

$8.02 ₸3,768

86.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.40

$1.00 ₸469

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.69 ₸795

12.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.80

$0.19 ₸88.6

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.26 ¥144

$11.90 ₸5,592

78.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.27

$1.72 ₸809

-29.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.31

$0.43 ₸201

-20.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 ¥36.70

$4.42 ₸2,079

22.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$0.48 ₸226

145.83%

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

$21.2K ¥143.2K

$19.2K ₸9.0M

10.14%

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

$20.7K ¥139.9K

$25.4K ₸11.9M

-18.43%

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

$62.5 ¥422

$54.0 ₸25.4K

15.75%

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

$8.57 ¥57.9

$8.42 ₸3,956

1.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.21 ¥82.5

$13.22 ₸6,212

-7.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 ¥404

$31.87 ₸15.0K

87.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.34 ¥90.2

$11.87 ₸5,577

12.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 ¥48.02

$4.56 ₸2,143

55.92%

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

$451 ¥3,046

$242 ₸113.8K

86.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K ¥138.6K

$4,868 ₸2.3M

321.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.95 ¥202

$55.5 ₸26.1K

-46.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.56 ¥166

$35.07 ₸16.5K

-29.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 ¥416

$89.1 ₸41.9K

-30.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.54 ¥254

$86.0 ₸40.4K

-56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ¥2,399

$331 ₸155.7K

7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ¥1,447

$210 ₸98.6K

2.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 ¥4,585

$573 ₸269.2K

18.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 ¥2,787

$398 ₸187.2K

3.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,717 ¥38.6K

$996 ₸468.3K

473.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,004 ¥20.3K

$684 ₸321.4K

339.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 ¥5,716

$533 ₸250.6K

58.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

16.12

-74.94%

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

Last update for Dongguan: July 11, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $355 in Dongguan and $331 in Karaganda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dongguan pays 59% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $21.00 in Dongguan vs $29.00 in Karaganda. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $171, 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

Average pay runs 59% 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: $355 in Dongguan versus $331 in Karaganda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $451 in Dongguan versus $242 in Karaganda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Karaganda – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $21.00 in Dongguan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Karaganda 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.

It comes down to priorities – Karaganda wins on affordability, Dongguan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.