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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $750 in Karaganda versus $752 in Dongguan.

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 ₸3,976

$2.47 ¥16.72

242.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.19 ₸13.7K

$20.71 ¥140

40.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₸2,337

$4.37 ¥29.58

13.73%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₸872

$2.61 ¥17.68

-29.12%

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

$0.65 ₸305

$0.42 ¥2.84

54.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₸217

$0.27 ¥1.80

70.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₸475

$1.12 ¥7.57

-9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₸1,393

$2.18 ¥14.76

35.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₸478

$1.68 ¥11.39

-39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₸217

$1.47 ¥9.97

-68.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ₸582

$0.97 ¥6.56

27.84%

Eggs

$1.72 ₸810

$1.79 ¥12.15

-3.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ₸4,533

$12.82 ¥86.8

-24.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 ₸2,007

$4.01 ¥27.12

6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.18 ₸3,381

$11.29 ¥76.4

-36.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₸614

$1.88 ¥12.74

-30.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ₸673

$1.42 ¥9.58

0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₸929

$1.82 ¥12.32

8.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 ₸907

$1.35 ¥9.11

42.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₸279

$0.96 ¥6.47

-38.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸177

$1.45 ¥9.78

-73.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₸476

$0.62 ¥4.21

62.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₸352

$0.60 ¥4.03

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 ₸818

$2.85 ¥19.30

-38.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 ₸3,774

$14.93 ¥101

-46.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₸470

$0.95 ¥6.41

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₸796

$1.90 ¥12.88

-11.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 ₸88.8

$0.27 ¥1.81

-29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 ₸5,601

$21.26 ¥144

-44.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ₸810

$1.22 ¥8.28

40.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ₸201

$0.34 ¥2.32

26.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 ₸2,082

$5.43 ¥36.76

-18.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 ₸227

$1.18 ¥7.99

-59.32%

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

$19.2K ₸9.1M

$21.2K ¥143.4K

-9.21%

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

$25.4K ₸11.9M

$20.7K ¥140.1K

22.59%

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

$54.0 ₸25.4K

$62.5 ¥423

-13.61%

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

$8.42 ₸3,963

$8.57 ¥58.0

-1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.22 ₸6,221

$12.21 ¥82.7

8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 ₸15.0K

$59.8 ¥404

-46.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₸5,586

$13.34 ¥90.3

-11.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 ₸2,146

$7.11 ¥48.09

-35.86%

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

$242 ₸114.0K

$451 ¥3,051

-46.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,868 ₸2.3M

$20.5K ¥138.9K

-76.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ₸26.1K

$29.95 ¥203

85.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ₸16.5K

$24.56 ¥166

42.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 ₸41.9K

$61.6 ¥417

44.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 ₸40.5K

$37.54 ¥254

128.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₸155.9K

$355 ¥2,403

-6.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₸98.7K

$214 ¥1,449

-2.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 ₸269.6K

$679 ¥4,592

-15.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ₸187.5K

$412 ¥2,791

-3.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$996 ₸469.0K

$5,717 ¥38.7K

-82.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$684 ₸321.9K

$3,004 ¥20.3K

-77.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 ₸251.0K

$846 ¥5,725

-36.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.12

4.04

299.01%

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

Last update for Karaganda: July 14, 2026

Last update for Dongguan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Karaganda and $355 in Dongguan. 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: $29.00 in Karaganda vs $21.00 in Dongguan. Groceries flip the comparison at $171 vs $221, 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

Karaganda vs Dongguan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Dongguan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $331 in Karaganda versus $355 in Dongguan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $242 in Karaganda versus $451 in Dongguan. 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.