Cost of Living Comparison Between Oskemen and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Oskemen and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $754 per month in Oskemen vs $678 in Shymkent, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Oskemen vs $1,076 in Shymkent, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,677 per month in Oskemen vs $1,473 in Shymkent, rent included.

Oskemen costs about 11% more than Shymkent, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Oskemen and Shymkent are more affordable than the global median – Oskemen 44% lower, Shymkent 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 ₸1,860

$9.93 ₸4,676

-60.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.61 ₸8,760

$19.90 ₸9,368

-6.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.58 ₸1,684

$6.99 ₸3,292

-48.78%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ₸952

$1.85 ₸869

9.19%

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

$0.81 ₸379

$0.99 ₸467

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₸232

$0.41 ₸192

19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ₸661

$1.15 ₸543

21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₸686

$1.91 ₸900

-23.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₸515

$1.15 ₸542

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₸217

$0.30 ₸142

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ₸540

$1.63 ₸768

-29.45%

Eggs

$1.55 ₸729

$1.44 ₸677

7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 ₸3,561

$7.92 ₸3,730

-4.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₸2,169

$4.18 ₸1,970

10.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 ₸3,327

$6.47 ₸3,047

9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₸545

$0.96 ₸451

20.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 ₸859

$1.78 ₸838

2.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ₸1,127

$1.91 ₸898

25.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₸1,178

$1.02 ₸481

145.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ₸285

$0.48 ₸224

27.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₸205

$0.38 ₸178

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 ₸143

$0.79 ₸373

-62.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₸370

$0.69 ₸323

14.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 ₸893

$1.99 ₸939

-4.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 ₸2,260

$4.33 ₸2,037

10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₸606

$0.94 ₸444

37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₸672

$1.33 ₸628

7.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₸98.8

$0.14 ₸64.1

50.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ₸446

$0.89 ₸419

6.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ₸138

$0.62 ₸294

-53.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ₸996

$5.80 ₸2,729

-63.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸214

$0.50 ₸234

-8.00%

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

$28.6K ₸13.5M

$19.3K ₸9.1M

48.31%

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

$27.1K ₸12.8M

$23.9K ₸11.2M

13.63%

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

$40.39 ₸19.0K

$50.4 ₸23.7K

-19.92%

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

$9.55 ₸4,495

$8.64 ₸4,066

10.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.80 ₸7,910

$12.73 ₸5,991

31.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.36 ₸11.0K

$33.03 ₸15.6K

-29.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.53 ₸8,251

$7.81 ₸3,676

124.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 ₸2,038

$5.04 ₸2,371

-14.09%

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

$59.5 ₸28.0K

$48.24 ₸22.7K

23.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,502 ₸1.2M

$4,849 ₸2.3M

-48.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 ₸55.6K

$33.02 ₸15.5K

257.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.3 ₸39.7K

$29.87 ₸14.1K

182.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 ₸46.7K

$120 ₸56.5K

-17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 ₸43.4K

$46.86 ₸22.1K

96.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 ₸154.5K

$297 ₸139.9K

10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 ₸104.7K

$174 ₸81.8K

28.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 ₸251.6K

$475 ₸223.6K

12.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ₸222.9K

$365 ₸171.8K

29.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,060 ₸498.9K

$1,039 ₸489.3K

1.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$787 ₸370.5K

$935 ₸440.4K

-15.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 ₸363.8K

$415 ₸195.5K

86.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

-2.56%

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

Last update for Oskemen: July 11, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Oskemen versus $297 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 86% higher in Oskemen, 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 $19.00 in Oskemen versus $20.00 in Shymkent. Groceries tell a different story – $164 in Oskemen vs $149 in Shymkent – so Shymkent wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Oskemen vs Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $754 in Oskemen, $678 in Shymkent – roughly 11% apart. Oskemen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,131 per month in Oskemen and $1,018 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $754 in Oskemen and $678 in Shymkent. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $59.5 per month in Oskemen and $48.24 in Shymkent. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $754 in Oskemen and $678 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, Oskemen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.