Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Pavlodar Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Pavlodar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $679 in Shymkent versus $670 in Pavlodar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,091 in Shymkent versus $1,061 in Pavlodar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,503 in Shymkent versus $1,452 in Pavlodar.

Living in Shymkent is roughly 1% more expensive than Pavlodar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shymkent 49% lower, Pavlodar 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.57 ₸4,664

$6.04 ₸2,940

58.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.66 ₸9,579

$19.93 ₸9,708

-1.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 ₸3,298

$7.56 ₸3,681

-10.45%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₸912

$1.69 ₸822

10.65%

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

$1.01 ₸490

$1.05 ₸512

-3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₸213

$0.47 ₸229

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₸563

$0.91 ₸443

27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₸930

$1.19 ₸581

60.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₸534

$0.78 ₸378

41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ₸148

$0.36 ₸173

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ₸767

$0.94 ₸460

67.02%

Eggs

$1.44 ₸702

$1.55 ₸754

-7.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 ₸3,871

$4.83 ₸2,353

64.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₸2,066

$4.18 ₸2,035

1.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ₸3,166

$5.93 ₸2,889

9.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ₸489

$1.29 ₸628

-22.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₸894

$1.62 ₸791

13.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸920

$2.00 ₸973

-5.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₸499

$1.54 ₸749

-33.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₸231

$0.79 ₸387

-40.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸184

$0.67 ₸328

-43.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₸378

$0.95 ₸462

-17.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸311

$0.75 ₸367

-14.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 ₸930

$2.20 ₸1,072

-13.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 ₸1,935

$6.67 ₸3,248

-40.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸454

$0.93 ₸455

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₸673

$1.57 ₸766

-12.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₸77.7

$0.19 ₸93.3

-15.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₸409

$1.49 ₸728

-43.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₸308

$0.83 ₸403

-24.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ₸2,879

$4.78 ₸2,328

23.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸222

$0.46 ₸225

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

$19.8K ₸9.7M

$19.9K ₸9.7M

-0.39%

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

$24.6K ₸12.0M

$18.8K ₸9.1M

30.91%

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

$51.1 ₸24.9K

$50.3 ₸24.5K

1.43%

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

$8.84 ₸4,306

$9.93 ₸4,836

-10.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.49 ₸6,086

$13.75 ₸6,699

-9.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.82 ₸16.0K

$37.21 ₸18.1K

-11.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 ₸3,748

$9.71 ₸4,729

-20.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₸2,315

$5.32 ₸2,590

-10.71%

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

$49.35 ₸24.0K

$115 ₸56.2K

-57.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,935 ₸2.4M

$4,906 ₸2.4M

0.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.43 ₸15.8K

$55.6 ₸27.1K

-41.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 ₸14.6K

$28.96 ₸14.1K

3.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ₸59.7K

$87.2 ₸42.5K

40.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.31 ₸22.6K

$78.3 ₸38.1K

-40.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₸149.1K

$248 ₸120.9K

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₸86.4K

$193 ₸93.9K

-8.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₸229.2K

$491 ₸239.3K

-4.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₸172.4K

$398 ₸194.1K

-11.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,040 ₸506.5K

$1,006 ₸490.2K

3.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$911 ₸443.6K

$825 ₸402.0K

10.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ₸195.1K

$653 ₸318.0K

-38.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

18.39

6.04%

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

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Last update for Pavlodar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Shymkent and $248 in Pavlodar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pavlodar pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Shymkent vs $20.00 in Pavlodar. Groceries flip the comparison at $148 vs $144, with Pavlodar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Pavlodar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shymkent and Pavlodar differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($679 vs $670 including rent). Pavlodar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Pavlodar earns 63% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $306 in Shymkent versus $248 in Pavlodar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Shymkent. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $679 per month in Shymkent versus $670 in Pavlodar – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pavlodar 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, Shymkent and Pavlodar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pavlodar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Shymkent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.