Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kostanay and Astana

For one person, living is cheaper in Kostanay: $962 a month against $1,124 in Astana, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Kostanay
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$962
/mo nomad
Astana
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,124
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kostanay 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 Kostanay and in Astana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $958 per month in Kostanay vs $1,124 in Astana, rent included.

  • Kostanay $958
  • Astana $1,124

A couple spends around $1,445 per month in Kostanay vs $1,806 in Astana, rent included.

  • Kostanay $1,445
  • Astana $1,806

A family of three spends $1,932 per month in Kostanay vs $2,489 in Astana, rent included.

  • Kostanay $1,932
  • Astana $2,489

Kostanay is about 15% cheaper than Astana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kostanay and Astana are more affordable than the global median – Kostanay 29% lower, Astana 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.60 ₸2,532
$11.19 ₸5,058
-49.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.73 ₸13.0K
$37.88 ₸17.1K
-24.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.05 ₸3,186
$7.88 ₸3,562
-10.53%
Cappuccino
$2.18 ₸988
$2.62 ₸1,185
-16.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 ₸506
$1.10 ₸498
1.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 ₸389
$0.63 ₸286
36.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.45 ₸656
$1.36 ₸613
6.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 ₸1,181
$2.18 ₸985
19.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 ₸550
$1.25 ₸567
-2.40%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ₸235
$0.60 ₸269
-13.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.05 ₸474
$1.62 ₸731
-35.19%
Eggs
$2.27 ₸1,026
$2.15 ₸972
5.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.21 ₸4,614
$11.95 ₸5,401
-14.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.72 ₸2,585
$5.81 ₸2,625
-1.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.33 ₸3,767
$10.65 ₸4,815
-21.78%
Apples (1kg)
$1.61 ₸730
$1.80 ₸813
-10.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.37 ₸1,071
$2.36 ₸1,065
0.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 ₸831
$2.21 ₸1,000
-16.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.32 ₸1,047
$2.18 ₸986
6.42%
Potato (1kg)
$0.58 ₸264
$0.67 ₸302
-13.43%
Onion (1kg)
$0.68 ₸308
$0.45 ₸206
51.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 ₸548
$1.50 ₸677
-19.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 ₸399
$0.89 ₸402
-1.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.51 ₸1,135
$2.35 ₸1,062
6.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.47 ₸3,827
$11.21 ₸5,068
-24.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 ₸495
$1.30 ₸589
-15.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 ₸1,071
$2.35 ₸1,063
0.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 ₸142
$0.25 ₸113
24.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$16.52 ₸7,466
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.95 ₸430
$2.23 ₸1,008
-57.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 ₸516
$1.08 ₸490
5.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.09 ₸2,755
$6.76 ₸3,056
-9.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.58 ₸263
$0.69 ₸312
-15.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K ₸13.7M
$28.3K ₸12.8M
6.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K ₸13.8M
$31.5K ₸14.2M
-3.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$76.8 ₸34.7K
$67.1 ₸30.3K
14.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.97 ₸4,961
$9.97 ₸4,508
10.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.99 ₸7,229
$17.61 ₸7,962
-9.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.26 ₸21.8K
$57.0 ₸25.7K
-15.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.11 ₸9,091
$20.84 ₸9,419
-3.50%
Cinema Ticket
$4.40 ₸1,989
$6.37 ₸2,877
-30.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$209 ₸94.5K
$364 ₸164.8K
-42.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,498 ₸2.9M
$11.6K ₸5.2M
-44.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.3 ₸43.5K
$66.2 ₸29.9K
45.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.8 ₸24.3K
$46.92 ₸21.2K
14.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 ₸48.6K
$118 ₸53.4K
-9.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.7 ₸42.3K
$128 ₸58.0K
-27.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$402 ₸181.7K
$575 ₸259.9K
-30.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$321 ₸144.9K
$384 ₸173.4K
-16.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$598 ₸270.1K
$1,149 ₸519.2K
-47.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$494 ₸223.4K
$772 ₸349.1K
-36.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,218 ₸550.5K
$1,558 ₸704.5K
-21.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$925 ₸418.0K
$1,138 ₸514.4K
-18.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kostanay
Astana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 ₸297.0K
$852 ₸385.2K
-22.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
18.5
14.83
24.75%

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

Last update for Kostanay: October 20, 2026

Last update for Astana: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kostanay
$321
Astana
$384 19.6% $63
Groceries & Markets
Kostanay
$202
Astana
$227 12.3% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Kostanay
$158
Astana
$162 2.4% $3.8
Eating Out
Kostanay
$113
Astana
$163 44.5% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kostanay
$104
Astana
$95 8.7% $9.1
Sport & Entertainment
Kostanay
$57
Astana
$70 22.1% $13
Getting Around
Kostanay
$7.9 *
Astana
$25 218% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Kostanay versus $575 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 30% 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 $29.00 in Kostanay versus $38.00 in Astana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $227 – making Kostanay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Kostanay
🇰🇿 Astana
🕒 Local time
16:02 4:02 PM
16:02 4:02 PM
Same time as Kostanay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
264,446
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
  • Kostanay Astana 580 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kostanay
  • 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
Kostanay vs Astana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kostanay and in Astana compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $958 in Kostanay, $1,124 in Astana – roughly 17% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Kostanay compared to Astana?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,437 per month in Kostanay and $1,686 in Astana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kostanay and Astana?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kostanay, 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 $29.00 in Kostanay 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?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Astana, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostanay, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Astana at $1,124. In Kostanay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Astana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Kostanay and Astana?
It depends on your priorities. Astana has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $958 in Kostanay to $1,124 in Astana. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Kostanay 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 Kostanay and Astana?
If budget matters most, go with Kostanay. 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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