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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $679 per month in Shymkent vs $736 in Oskemen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,091 per month in Shymkent vs $1,188 in Oskemen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,503 per month in Shymkent vs $1,639 in Oskemen, rent included.

Shymkent is about 8% cheaper than Oskemen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shymkent and Oskemen are more affordable than the global median – Shymkent 49% lower, Oskemen 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.57 ₸4,664

$3.95 ₸1,926

142.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.66 ₸9,579

$18.49 ₸9,007

6.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 ₸3,298

$3.43 ₸1,673

97.38%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₸912

$2.00 ₸975

-6.50%

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

$1.01 ₸490

$0.80 ₸388

26.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₸213

$0.52 ₸254

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₸563

$1.34 ₸655

-13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₸930

$1.45 ₸706

31.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₸534

$1.09 ₸533

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ₸148

$0.43 ₸211

-30.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ₸767

$1.14 ₸556

37.72%

Eggs

$1.44 ₸702

$1.60 ₸777

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 ₸3,871

$7.66 ₸3,730

3.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₸2,066

$4.37 ₸2,130

-2.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ₸3,166

$6.81 ₸3,319

-4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ₸489

$1.15 ₸561

-13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₸894

$1.81 ₸884

1.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸920

$2.38 ₸1,161

-20.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₸499

$2.57 ₸1,250

-60.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₸231

$0.61 ₸296

-22.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸184

$0.47 ₸227

-19.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₸378

$0.30 ₸148

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸311

$0.73 ₸357

-12.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 ₸930

$1.99 ₸969

-4.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 ₸1,935

$4.65 ₸2,265

-14.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸454

$1.33 ₸649

-30.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₸673

$1.50 ₸730

-8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₸77.7

$0.21 ₸102

-23.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₸409

$1.01 ₸494

-16.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₸308

$0.29 ₸141

117.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ₸2,879

$2.12 ₸1,034

178.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸222

$0.46 ₸224

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

$19.8K ₸9.7M

$28.1K ₸13.7M

-29.55%

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

$24.6K ₸12.0M

$27.0K ₸13.2M

-9.06%

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

$51.1 ₸24.9K

$41.44 ₸20.2K

23.19%

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

$8.84 ₸4,306

$9.96 ₸4,851

-11.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.49 ₸6,086

$16.59 ₸8,082

-24.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.82 ₸16.0K

$23.36 ₸11.4K

40.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 ₸3,748

$17.33 ₸8,444

-55.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₸2,315

$4.38 ₸2,134

8.45%

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

$49.35 ₸24.0K

$58.3 ₸28.4K

-15.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,935 ₸2.4M

$2,510 ₸1.2M

96.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.43 ₸15.8K

$119 ₸58.0K

-72.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 ₸14.6K

$82.8 ₸40.3K

-63.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ₸59.7K

$98.0 ₸47.7K

25.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.31 ₸22.6K

$94.0 ₸45.8K

-50.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₸149.1K

$331 ₸161.4K

-7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₸86.4K

$221 ₸107.7K

-19.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₸229.2K

$537 ₸261.7K

-12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₸172.4K

$468 ₸227.8K

-24.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,040 ₸506.5K

$1,008 ₸491.2K

3.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$911 ₸443.6K

$778 ₸378.8K

17.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ₸195.1K

$751 ₸366.1K

-46.69%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Shymkent versus $331 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 88% 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 $18.00 in Oskemen. Groceries tell a different story – $148 in Shymkent vs $162 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: $679 in Shymkent, $736 in Oskemen – roughly 8% 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 $1,104 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 $679 in Shymkent and $736 in Oskemen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $49.35 per month in Shymkent and $58.3 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 $679 in Shymkent and $736 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.