Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaganda and Atyrau

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaganda: $929 a month against $1,010 in Atyrau, rent and utilities included – about $970 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Karaganda
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Karaganda Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Atyrau
Learn more

Atyrau Living Index

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Karaganda

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$929

/mo nomad

Atyrau

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,010

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karaganda and in Atyrau

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

A single person spends $926 per month in Karaganda vs $1,022 in Atyrau, rent included.

Karaganda $926
Atyrau $1,022

A couple spends around $1,492 per month in Karaganda vs $1,698 in Atyrau, rent included.

Karaganda $1,492
Atyrau $1,698

A family of three spends $2,058 per month in Karaganda vs $2,373 in Atyrau, rent included.

Karaganda $2,058
Atyrau $2,373

Karaganda is about 9% cheaper than Atyrau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Karaganda and Atyrau are more affordable than the global median – Karaganda 31% lower, Atyrau 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ₸4,483

$9.69 ₸4,382

2.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.77 ₸15.7K

$36.92 ₸16.7K

-5.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 ₸2,540

$7.36 ₸3,326

-23.64%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ₸861

$2.23 ₸1,006

-14.80%

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

$0.87 ₸392

$1.10 ₸496

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸290

$0.79 ₸355

-18.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ₸618

$1.64 ₸741

-16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₸1,271

$2.15 ₸970

30.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₸602

$1.74 ₸787

-23.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₸219

$0.45 ₸202

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ₸605

$2.05 ₸925

-34.63%

Eggs

$1.87 ₸845

$1.62 ₸733

15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 ₸6,043

$11.21 ₸5,067

19.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 ₸2,510

$8.44 ₸3,815

-34.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ₸5,043

$7.90 ₸3,572

41.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ₸683

$1.82 ₸822

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₸857

$2.72 ₸1,230

-30.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ₸1,255

$2.25 ₸1,015

23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ₸944

$1.73 ₸781

20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₸284

$0.66 ₸298

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₸245

$0.45 ₸202

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₸469

$1.26 ₸569

-17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₸315

$0.90 ₸408

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₸985

$2.41 ₸1,090

-9.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.40 ₸3,798

$9.55 ₸4,319

-12.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₸616

$1.30 ₸589

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₸955

$1.40 ₸631

50.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₸104

$0.34 ₸155

-32.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.45 ₸6,982

$22.57 ₸10.2K

-31.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ₸558

$1.53 ₸693

-19.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 ₸562

$0.70 ₸318

77.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ₸1,457

$6.47 ₸2,925

-50.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 ₸236

$0.67 ₸301

-22.39%

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

$21.6K ₸9.8M

$17.5K ₸7.9M

23.73%

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

$32.3K ₸14.6M

$29.0K ₸13.1M

11.39%

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

$72.6 ₸32.8K

$53.6 ₸24.2K

35.49%

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

$9.86 ₸4,457

$10.95 ₸4,950

-9.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.82 ₸5,342

$14.25 ₸6,441

-17.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.55 ₸20.6K

$65.1 ₸29.4K

-30.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₸8,179

$9.92 ₸4,485

82.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 ₸2,390

$6.12 ₸2,768

-13.56%

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

$133 ₸59.9K

$291 ₸131.7K

-54.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,386 ₸1.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 ₸27.4K

$32.80 ₸14.8K

84.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.6 ₸26.0K

$44.07 ₸19.9K

30.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 ₸35.7K

$87.6 ₸39.6K

-9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 ₸38.7K

$87.3 ₸39.5K

-1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₸180.6K

$510 ₸230.4K

-21.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ₸123.7K

$339 ₸153.2K

-19.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ₸330.1K

$1,114 ₸503.6K

-34.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 ₸245.7K

$776 ₸350.9K

-29.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,053 ₸475.8K

$947 ₸428.0K

11.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$695 ₸314.0K

$735 ₸332.4K

-5.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$566 ₸256.1K

$732 ₸330.8K

-22.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.25

-35.83%

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

Last update for Karaganda: October 17, 2026

Last update for Atyrau: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Karaganda

$274 29.5%

Atyrau

$339 33.6% 23.8% $65

Groceries & Markets

Karaganda

$216 23.3%

Atyrau

$226 22.4% 4.7% $10

Eating Out

Karaganda

$138 14.8%

Atyrau

$146 14.5% 6.4% $8.8

Clothing & Footwear

Karaganda

$127 13.7%

Atyrau

$113 11.2% 11% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karaganda

$94 10.2%

Atyrau

$79 7.8% 16.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Karaganda

$56 6%

Atyrau

$77 7.7% 37.9% $21

Getting Around

Karaganda

$24 2.6%

Atyrau

$29 2.9% 21.7% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Karaganda versus $514 in Atyrau. 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 $35.00 in Karaganda versus $36.00 in Atyrau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $226 – making Karaganda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Karaganda

🇰🇿 Atyrau

🕒 Local time

15:59 3:59 PM

14:59 2:59 PM

1 h behind Karaganda

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

520,486

323,295

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Karaganda Atyrau 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Karaganda
Atyrau

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

Karaganda vs Atyrau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $926 in Karaganda, $1,022 in Atyrau – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,389 per month in Karaganda and $1,533 in Atyrau. 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 $135 per month in Karaganda and $292 in Atyrau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $926, than in Atyrau at $1,022. 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.