Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $776 per month in Shymkent vs $763 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,352 per month in Shymkent vs $1,225 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,928 per month in Shymkent vs $1,688 in Chengdu, rent included.

Shymkent costs about 2% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shymkent and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Shymkent 43% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.77 ₸4,907

$2.90 ¥19.46

271.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.49 ₸14.8K

$20.18 ¥135

61.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 ₸3,021

$5.18 ¥34.79

27.99%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₸1,091

$2.94 ¥19.70

-18.71%

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

$1.02 ₸467

$0.48 ¥3.19

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₸242

$0.28 ¥1.89

89.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 ₸480

$1.46 ¥9.78

-28.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₸607

$2.50 ¥16.75

-46.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ₸666

$1.76 ¥11.82

-17.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₸193

$1.64 ¥11.00

-74.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 ₸783

$0.94 ¥6.32

82.98%

Eggs

$1.63 ₸741

$1.54 ¥10.30

5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 ₸4,670

$14.19 ¥95.2

-27.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 ₸2,343

$3.51 ¥23.54

46.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.80 ₸4,009

$11.04 ¥74.1

-20.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 ₸538

$1.82 ¥12.21

-35.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ₸954

$1.26 ¥8.47

65.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 ₸1,139

$1.06 ¥7.11

135.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ₸614

$1.25 ¥8.39

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₸244

$0.69 ¥4.64

-23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₸181

$0.72 ¥4.84

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₸392

$0.73 ¥4.91

17.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₸380

$0.59 ¥3.93

40.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₸1,121

$3.63 ¥24.33

-32.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.36 ₸1,987

$5.47 ¥36.67

-20.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₸476

$0.79 ¥5.29

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₸703

$1.53 ¥10.27

0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 ₸60.1

$0.43 ¥2.91

-69.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 ¥167

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₸377

$1.32 ¥8.82

-37.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ₸166

$0.29 ¥1.94

27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.78 ₸4,457

$4.38 ¥29.37

123.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 ₸267

$1.23 ¥8.22

-52.03%

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

$26.9K ₸12.2M

$19.4K ¥130.0K

38.81%

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

$29.0K ₸13.2M

$17.4K ¥116.9K

66.67%

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

$46.53 ₸21.2K

$41.04 ¥275

13.38%

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

$9.10 ₸4,145

$9.46 ¥63.4

-3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.64 ₸6,671

$12.83 ¥86.1

14.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.70 ₸17.6K

$27.45 ¥184

40.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 ₸3,920

$11.02 ¥74.0

-21.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 ₸2,462

$6.02 ¥40.40

-10.30%

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

$56.5 ₸25.7K

$410 ¥2,751

-86.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ¥99.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.70 ₸16.3K

$28.78 ¥193

24.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 ₸15.1K

$29.21 ¥196

13.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ₸82.9K

$60.8 ¥408

199.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 ₸23.7K

$52.7 ¥353

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ₸151.8K

$486 ¥3,264

-31.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ₸91.9K

$256 ¥1,716

-21.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₸315.7K

$849 ¥5,699

-18.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 ₸250.7K

$545 ¥3,660

0.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,075 ₸489.6K

$3,813 ¥25.6K

-71.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$974 ₸443.6K

$1,909 ¥12.8K

-49.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 ₸196.9K

$1,284 ¥8,613

-66.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

3.38

439.94%

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

Last update for Shymkent: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Shymkent versus $486 in Chengdu. 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 197% higher in Chengdu, 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 $32.00 in Shymkent versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Shymkent vs $196 in Chengdu – 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

Shymkent vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $776 in Shymkent, $763 in Chengdu – roughly 2% apart. Shymkent costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,165 per month in Shymkent and $1,145 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, 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 $32.00 in Shymkent and $20.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Shymkent – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $776 in Shymkent and $763 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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