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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Shymkent is about 10% cheaper than Oskemen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.93 ₸4,669

$3.95 ₸1,857

151.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.90 ₸9,353

$18.61 ₸8,747

6.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 ₸3,287

$3.58 ₸1,681

95.25%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₸868

$2.02 ₸950

-8.42%

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

$0.99 ₸467

$0.81 ₸379

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₸192

$0.49 ₸231

-16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₸542

$1.40 ₸660

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₸898

$1.46 ₸685

30.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₸541

$1.09 ₸514

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ₸142

$0.46 ₸216

-34.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ₸767

$1.15 ₸539

41.74%

Eggs

$1.44 ₸676

$1.55 ₸728

-7.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ₸3,724

$7.57 ₸3,556

4.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 ₸1,967

$4.61 ₸2,166

-9.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 ₸3,042

$7.07 ₸3,321

-8.49%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 ₸450

$1.16 ₸544

-17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ₸837

$1.82 ₸857

-2.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ₸896

$2.39 ₸1,126

-20.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₸480

$2.50 ₸1,176

-59.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₸224

$0.61 ₸285

-21.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸178

$0.44 ₸205

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 ₸373

$0.30 ₸143

163.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₸322

$0.79 ₸369

-12.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 ₸937

$1.90 ₸891

4.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.33 ₸2,034

$4.80 ₸2,256

-9.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₸443

$1.29 ₸605

-27.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₸627

$1.43 ₸671

-6.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₸64.0

$0.21 ₸98.6

-33.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 ₸418

$0.95 ₸445

-6.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₸294

$0.29 ₸138

113.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 ₸2,724

$2.11 ₸994

174.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 ₸234

$0.46 ₸214

8.70%

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

$19.3K ₸9.1M

$28.6K ₸13.5M

-32.57%

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

$23.9K ₸11.2M

$27.1K ₸12.8M

-12.00%

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

$50.4 ₸23.7K

$40.39 ₸19.0K

24.88%

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

$8.64 ₸4,060

$9.55 ₸4,488

-9.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.73 ₸5,981

$16.80 ₸7,898

-24.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.03 ₸15.5K

$23.36 ₸11.0K

41.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.81 ₸3,670

$17.53 ₸8,238

-55.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 ₸2,367

$4.33 ₸2,035

16.40%

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

$48.24 ₸22.7K

$59.5 ₸28.0K

-18.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,849 ₸2.3M

$2,502 ₸1.2M

93.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.02 ₸15.5K

$118 ₸55.5K

-72.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 ₸14.0K

$84.3 ₸39.6K

-64.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₸56.4K

$99.3 ₸46.7K

20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.86 ₸22.0K

$92.2 ₸43.3K

-49.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₸139.7K

$328 ₸154.3K

-9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₸81.7K

$222 ₸104.5K

-21.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₸223.2K

$534 ₸251.2K

-11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₸171.5K

$473 ₸222.5K

-22.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,039 ₸488.5K

$1,060 ₸498.2K

-1.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$935 ₸439.7K

$787 ₸369.9K

18.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$415 ₸195.2K

$773 ₸363.2K

-46.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

2.63%

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

Last update for Shymkent: July 13, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in Shymkent versus $328 in Oskemen. 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 $20.00 in Shymkent versus $19.00 in Oskemen. Groceries tell a different story – $149 in Shymkent vs $164 in Oskemen – 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 Oskemen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,018 per month in Shymkent and $1,131 in Oskemen. 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 $678 in Shymkent and $754 in Oskemen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $48.24 per month in Shymkent and $59.5 in Oskemen. 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 $678 in Shymkent and $754 in Oskemen, 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.