Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Semey and Astana

For one person, living is cheaper in Semey: $712 a month against $1,133 in Astana, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Semey
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Semey Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Astana
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Astana Living Index

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Semey

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$712

/mo nomad

Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $712 per month in Semey vs $1,133 in Astana, rent included.

Semey $712
Astana $1,133

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in Semey vs $1,810 in Astana, rent included.

Semey $1,148
Astana $1,810

A family of three spends $1,584 per month in Semey vs $2,486 in Astana, rent included.

Semey $1,584
Astana $2,486

Semey is about 37% cheaper than Astana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Semey and Astana are more affordable than the global median – Semey 48% lower, Astana 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.93 ₸2,235

$11.06 ₸5,017

-55.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.82 ₸9,897

$38.01 ₸17.2K

-42.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 ₸2,491

$7.89 ₸3,580

-30.42%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ₸770

$2.65 ₸1,200

-35.85%

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

$0.76 ₸345

$1.08 ₸488

-29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₸216

$0.62 ₸281

-22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 ₸412

$1.34 ₸609

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₸614

$2.25 ₸1,019

-40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 ₸469

$1.26 ₸571

-18.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₸167

$0.60 ₸274

-38.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ₸845

$1.55 ₸705

20.00%

Eggs

$1.53 ₸693

$2.18 ₸988

-29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 ₸2,432

$11.98 ₸5,435

-55.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ₸1,751

$5.79 ₸2,626

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.43 ₸2,461

$10.57 ₸4,794

-48.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₸559

$1.82 ₸826

-32.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₸748

$2.31 ₸1,048

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 ₸781

$2.29 ₸1,038

-24.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ₸768

$2.19 ₸991

-22.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₸176

$0.66 ₸298

-40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₸274

$0.46 ₸209

30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₸461

$1.53 ₸692

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₸448

$0.90 ₸410

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₸1,116

$2.37 ₸1,074

3.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 ₸3,282

$10.93 ₸4,956

-33.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₸596

$1.30 ₸588

0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₸998

$2.35 ₸1,066

-6.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₸114

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.69 ₸7,118

$16.60 ₸7,527

-5.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₸586

$2.27 ₸1,027

-43.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ₸515

$1.13 ₸512

0.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 ₸2,968

$6.62 ₸3,003

-1.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 ₸293

$0.69 ₸311

-5.80%

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

$32.4K ₸14.7M

$28.0K ₸12.7M

15.45%

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

$26.3K ₸11.9M

$31.7K ₸14.4M

-16.97%

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

$33.66 ₸15.3K

$68.4 ₸31.0K

-50.79%

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

$9.01 ₸4,087

$10.08 ₸4,572

-10.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.84 ₸8,543

$18.13 ₸8,222

3.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.36 ₸19.2K

$58.7 ₸26.6K

-27.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.23 ₸5,095

$20.67 ₸9,373

-45.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 ₸1,993

$6.27 ₸2,844

-29.98%

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

$132 ₸60.0K

$487 ₸221.0K

-72.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,406 ₸2.0M

$11.7K ₸5.3M

-62.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.90 ₸13.1K

$64.6 ₸29.3K

-55.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.47 ₸11.6K

$46.35 ₸21.0K

-45.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₸45.4K

$120 ₸54.2K

-16.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 ₸34.7K

$126 ₸57.2K

-39.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 ₸153.5K

$564 ₸255.8K

-39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 ₸103.8K

$391 ₸177.5K

-41.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ₸276.9K

$1,151 ₸521.8K

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 ₸221.5K

$769 ₸348.6K

-36.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,205 ₸546.6K

$1,560 ₸707.4K

-22.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$739 ₸335.3K

$1,120 ₸508.0K

-33.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 ₸393.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.25

14.83

29.80%

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

Last update for Semey: October 25, 2026

Last update for Astana: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Semey

$229 32.2%

Astana

$391 34.5% 71.1% $163

Groceries & Markets

Semey

$154 21.7%

Astana

$226 20% 46.5% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Semey

$104 14.6%

Astana

$161 14.2% 54.4% $57

Eating Out

Semey

$88 12.4%

Astana

$162 14.3% 83% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Semey

$62 8.6%

Astana

$97 8.5% 57.1% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Semey

$51 7.2%

Astana

$71 6.3% 39.2% $20

Getting Around

Semey

$24 3.3%

Astana

$26 2.3% 7.8% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $339 in Semey versus $564 in Astana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Semey versus $38 in Astana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $154 vs $226 – making Semey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Semey

🇰🇿 Astana

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

Same time as Semey

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

310,456

814,400 Capital

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Semey Astana 630 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Semey
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

Semey vs Astana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $712 in Semey, $1,133 in Astana – Semey comes out roughly 37% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,068 per month in Semey and $1,700 in Astana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semey, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $339 there versus $564 in Astana.

Kindergarten costs $132 per month in Semey and $487 in Astana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Astana, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Semey, where all-in costs run around $712, than in Astana at $1,133. In Semey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Astana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Semey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Semey is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 37% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.