Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ekibastuz and Astana

For one person, living is cheaper in Ekibastuz: $837 a month against $1,131 in Astana, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ekibastuz
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$837
/mo nomad
Astana
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,131
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ekibastuz and in Astana

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

A single person spends $837 per month in Ekibastuz vs $1,131 in Astana, rent included.

  • Ekibastuz $837
  • Astana $1,131

A couple spends around $1,347 per month in Ekibastuz vs $1,809 in Astana, rent included.

  • Ekibastuz $1,347
  • Astana $1,809

A family of three spends $1,856 per month in Ekibastuz vs $2,486 in Astana, rent included.

  • Ekibastuz $1,856
  • Astana $2,486

Ekibastuz is about 26% cheaper than Astana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Ekibastuz and Astana are more affordable than the global median – Ekibastuz 38% lower, Astana 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 ₸4,910
$10.96 ₸4,953
-0.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.29 ₸16.9K
$38.48 ₸17.4K
-3.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.95 ₸3,595
$7.62 ₸3,443
4.33%
Cappuccino
$1.53 ₸692
$2.64 ₸1,191
-42.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 ₸507
$1.11 ₸500
0.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₸285
$0.62 ₸282
1.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.30 ₸590
$1.30 ₸586
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 ₸997
$2.19 ₸988
0.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 ₸599
$1.28 ₸578
3.13%
White Bread (500g)
$0.61 ₸275
$0.63 ₸286
-3.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 ₸732
$1.64 ₸741
-1.22%
Eggs
$2.16 ₸976
$2.23 ₸1,007
-3.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.31 ₸5,564
$11.91 ₸5,383
3.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.94 ₸2,687
$5.83 ₸2,637
1.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.76 ₸4,865
$10.46 ₸4,730
2.87%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 ₸814
$1.82 ₸823
-1.10%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 ₸1,023
$2.31 ₸1,046
-2.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 ₸1,006
$2.21 ₸1,001
0.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.22 ₸1,001
$2.18 ₸985
1.83%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₸296
$0.66 ₸297
-1.52%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 ₸209
$0.46 ₸208
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 ₸695
$1.54 ₸694
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 ₸429
$0.88 ₸397
7.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18 ₸984
$2.15 ₸974
1.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.16 ₸5,047
$11.24 ₸5,080
-0.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 ₸592
$1.36 ₸617
-3.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 ₸1,054
$2.43 ₸1,100
-4.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₸114
$0.23 ₸103
8.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$16.87 ₸7,625
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.13 ₸510
$2.21 ₸998
-48.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 ₸514
$1.13 ₸509
0.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.48 ₸2,930
$6.53 ₸2,951
-0.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 ₸272
$0.63 ₸285
-4.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5K ₸11.1M
$24.4K ₸11.1M
0.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K ₸13.6M
$30.7K ₸13.9M
-1.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.3 ₸30.9K
$68.5 ₸30.9K
-0.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.31 ₸4,659
$10.25 ₸4,633
0.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.78 ₸8,036
$17.92 ₸8,101
-0.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$56.5 ₸25.5K
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.43 ₸9,237
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.29 ₸2,844
$6.52 ₸2,947
-3.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$378 ₸170.9K
$369 ₸166.9K
2.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ₸5.3M
$12.0K ₸5.4M
-2.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.3 ₸29.1K
$66.2 ₸29.9K
-2.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.03 ₸21.3K
$46.16 ₸20.9K
1.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 ₸54.0K
$118 ₸53.5K
0.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 ₸59.2K
$130 ₸58.9K
0.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$247 ₸111.8K
$578 ₸261.5K
-57.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$181 ₸81.7K
$389 ₸176.0K
-53.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$450 ₸203.4K
$1,146 ₸518.1K
-60.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$332 ₸150.2K
$767 ₸346.8K
-56.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,523 ₸688.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,124 ₸508.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ekibastuz
Astana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$337 ₸152.3K
$886 ₸400.7K
-62.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15.5
15.5
-

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

Last update for Ekibastuz: October 13, 2026

Last update for Astana: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Ekibastuz
$230
Astana
$227 1.1% $2.5
Accommodation & Living
Ekibastuz
$181
Astana
$389 116% $209
Clothing & Footwear
Ekibastuz
$163
Astana
$162 0.3% $0.4
Eating Out
Ekibastuz
$147
Astana
$160 8.7% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ekibastuz
$96
Astana
$97 0.3% $0.3
Sport & Entertainment
Ekibastuz
$13 *
Astana
$70 453% $57
Getting Around
Ekibastuz
$7.8 *
Astana
$26 227% $18

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Ekibastuz versus $578 in Astana. 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 163% higher in Astana, 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 $37.00 in Ekibastuz versus $38.00 in Astana. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Ekibastuz vs $227 in Astana – so Astana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Ekibastuz
🇰🇿 Astana
🕒 Local time
13:11 1:11 PM
13:11 1:11 PM
Same time as Ekibastuz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
159,760
814,400 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ekibastuz Astana 280 km
From you
  • Ekibastuz
  • Astana

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
Ekibastuz vs Astana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Ekibastuz and in Astana compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $837 in Ekibastuz, $1,131 in Astana – roughly 35% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.
What salary covers living expenses in Ekibastuz compared to Astana?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Ekibastuz and $1,696 in Astana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ekibastuz and Astana?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ekibastuz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Ekibastuz and $38.00 in Astana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Astana – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ekibastuz, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Astana at $1,131. In Ekibastuz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Astana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ekibastuz and Astana?
It depends on your priorities. Astana has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $837 in Ekibastuz to $1,131 in Astana. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ekibastuz or Astana safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Ekibastuz and Astana?
If budget matters most, go with Ekibastuz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Astana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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