Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saryagash and Shymkent

For one person, living is cheaper in Shymkent: $804 a month against $881 in Saryagash, rent and utilities included – about $920 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Saryagash
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Saryagash Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Shymkent
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Shymkent Living Index

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Saryagash

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$881

/mo nomad

Shymkent

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$804

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saryagash and in Shymkent

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $881 in Saryagash versus $804 in Shymkent.

Saryagash $881
Shymkent $804

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Saryagash versus $1,385 in Shymkent.

Saryagash $1,429
Shymkent $1,385

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,977 in Saryagash versus $1,965 in Shymkent.

Saryagash $1,977
Shymkent $1,965

Living in Saryagash is roughly 10% more expensive than in Shymkent, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saryagash 35% lower, Shymkent 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.71 ₸4,375

$11.24 ₸5,062

-13.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.93 ₸15.3K

$33.91 ₸15.3K

0.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 ₸3,483

$6.67 ₸3,005

15.89%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ₸1,070

$2.41 ₸1,084

-1.24%

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

$1.06 ₸477

$1.05 ₸471

0.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₸268

$0.50 ₸227

18.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₸585

$1.14 ₸515

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₸938

$1.36 ₸614

52.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ₸624

$1.44 ₸647

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₸217

$0.43 ₸195

11.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ₸711

$1.81 ₸813

-12.71%

Eggs

$1.76 ₸793

$1.74 ₸783

1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ₸4,643

$10.24 ₸4,613

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 ₸2,595

$5.33 ₸2,400

8.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 ₸4,020

$8.48 ₸3,819

5.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 ₸661

$1.15 ₸518

27.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₸991

$2.17 ₸977

1.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₸1,054

$2.45 ₸1,103

-4.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 ₸988

$1.41 ₸637

55.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₸318

$0.51 ₸231

39.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₸235

$0.41 ₸184

26.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₸542

$0.96 ₸433

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ₸442

$0.85 ₸381

15.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₸1,107

$2.38 ₸1,074

3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 ₸3,563

$4.55 ₸2,050

73.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₸533

$1.03 ₸464

14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₸887

$1.54 ₸693

27.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₸94.5

$0.14 ₸63.1

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.91 ₸7,618

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₸492

$0.91 ₸411

19.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₸342

$0.37 ₸168

105.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 ₸2,737

$9.99 ₸4,498

-39.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 ₸286

$0.66 ₸296

-3.03%

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

$28.1K ₸12.6M

$27.2K ₸12.3M

3.04%

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

$30.3K ₸13.7M

$29.5K ₸13.3M

2.67%

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

$67.4 ₸30.3K

$46.66 ₸21.0K

44.38%

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

$10.10 ₸4,547

$9.48 ₸4,269

6.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.76 ₸7,099

$15.26 ₸6,871

3.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 ₸19.1K

$39.10 ₸17.6K

8.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.81 ₸3,969

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 ₸2,294

$5.61 ₸2,527

-9.27%

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

$145 ₸65.5K

$57.1 ₸25.7K

154.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 ₸2.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 ₸25.8K

$37.07 ₸16.7K

54.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.68 ₸20.6K

$33.63 ₸15.1K

35.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 ₸42.6K

$182 ₸82.0K

-48.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 ₸40.5K

$51.9 ₸23.4K

73.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 ₸155.0K

$342 ₸153.9K

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 ₸104.2K

$204 ₸91.7K

13.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 ₸301.8K

$692 ₸311.6K

-3.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ₸222.9K

$545 ₸245.6K

-9.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,085 ₸488.5K

$1,105 ₸497.5K

-1.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 ₸385.2K

$978 ₸440.4K

-12.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$445 ₸200.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.25

18.25

5.48%

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

Last update for Saryagash: November 2, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saryagash

$231 26.3%

Shymkent

$204 25.3% 12% $28

Groceries & Markets

Saryagash

$205 23.3%

Shymkent

$185 23% 9.7% $20

Eating Out

Saryagash

$147 16.7%

Shymkent

$153 19.1% 4.6% $6.7

Clothing & Footwear

Saryagash

$129 14.7%

Shymkent

$137 17.1% 6% $7.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saryagash

$93 10.6%

Shymkent

$71 8.9% 23.4% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Saryagash

$53 6%

Shymkent

$50 6.3% 4.2% $2.2

Getting Around

Saryagash

$23 2.6%

Shymkent

$3.3 * 0.4% 85.3% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Saryagash and $342 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34 in Saryagash vs $34 in Shymkent. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $185, with Shymkent cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Saryagash

🇰🇿 Shymkent

🕒 Local time

02:24 2:24 AM

Same time as Saryagash

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,222,055

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Saryagash Shymkent 71 km

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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

Saryagash vs Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $881 in Saryagash and $804 in Shymkent, so Shymkent is about 9% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,321 in Saryagash and $1,206 in Shymkent to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $344 in Saryagash versus $342 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $145 in Saryagash versus $57 in Shymkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $881 per month in Saryagash versus $804 in Shymkent – Shymkent is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Shymkent 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.

Safety-wise, Saryagash and Shymkent are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.