Cost of Living Comparison Between Oral and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Oral and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $750 per month in Oral vs $675 in Shymkent, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,163 per month in Oral vs $1,087 in Shymkent, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,577 per month in Oral vs $1,499 in Shymkent, rent included.

Oral costs about 11% more than Shymkent, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Oral and Shymkent are more affordable than the global median – Oral 44% lower, Shymkent 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.27 ₸3,334

$9.50 ₸4,358

-23.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.64 ₸14.1K

$19.72 ₸9,049

55.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 ₸3,344

$6.93 ₸3,181

5.19%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ₸778

$1.80 ₸825

-5.56%

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

$0.90 ₸412

$1.02 ₸467

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₸259

$0.41 ₸188

39.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ₸371

$1.19 ₸547

-31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₸826

$1.81 ₸831

-0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₸570

$1.15 ₸526

7.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 ₸172

$0.28 ₸128

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 ₸667

$1.64 ₸753

-11.59%

Eggs

$1.33 ₸610

$1.44 ₸661

-7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ₸3,606

$8.24 ₸3,781

-4.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ₸1,788

$4.24 ₸1,947

-8.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.73 ₸4,463

$6.53 ₸2,997

49.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 ₸481

$0.94 ₸431

11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₸855

$1.79 ₸820

3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 ₸923

$1.91 ₸876

5.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 ₸1,354

$1.01 ₸464

192.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₸184

$0.47 ₸216

-14.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 ₸143

$0.35 ₸160

-11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₸292

$0.79 ₸361

-18.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₸438

$0.64 ₸291

48.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 ₸823

$1.92 ₸882

-6.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 ₸3,432

$4.38 ₸2,008

70.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₸281

$1.01 ₸462

-39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₸696

$1.39 ₸639

9.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₸100

$0.15 ₸70.3

46.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 ₸263

$0.84 ₸386

-32.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₸303

$0.67 ₸310

-1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 ₸2,199

$5.83 ₸2,675

-17.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 ₸229

$0.49 ₸227

2.04%

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

$19.7K ₸9.0M

$19.5K ₸9.0M

0.96%

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

$24.4K ₸11.2M

0.20%

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

$73.7 ₸33.8K

$50.1 ₸23.0K

47.11%

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

$7.93 ₸3,640

$8.52 ₸3,908

-6.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.54 ₸5,752

$12.63 ₸5,792

-0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 ₸31.7K

$33.54 ₸15.4K

105.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.74 ₸3,552

Cinema Ticket

$2.96 ₸1,357

$4.77 ₸2,188

-37.95%

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

$208 ₸95.6K

$48.41 ₸22.2K

330.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,923 ₸2.3M

$4,897 ₸2.2M

0.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.77 ₸13.7K

$32.48 ₸14.9K

-8.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.77 ₸16.4K

$30.48 ₸14.0K

17.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 ₸40.8K

$122 ₸56.1K

-27.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 ₸35.6K

$46.94 ₸21.5K

65.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 ₸114.1K

$303 ₸139.1K

-17.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ₸85.8K

$176 ₸81.0K

5.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₸180.6K

$460 ₸211.0K

-14.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₸125.3K

$354 ₸162.6K

-22.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,091 ₸500.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$956 ₸438.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 ₸196.6K

$437 ₸200.4K

-1.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

19.5

-5.69%

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

Last update for Oral: April 27, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Oral versus $303 in Shymkent. 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 2% higher in Shymkent, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Oral versus $20.00 in Shymkent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $150 – making Shymkent the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Oral vs Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oral is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,125 per month in Oral and $1,013 in Shymkent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shymkent, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Oral and $20.00 in Shymkent. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Oral, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $750 in Oral and $675 in Shymkent, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shymkent – 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 Shymkent. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oral makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.