Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Saryagash

For one person, living is cheaper in Shymkent: $804 a month against $881 in Saryagash, rent and utilities included – about $920 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Shymkent
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Shymkent Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Saryagash
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Saryagash Living Index

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Shymkent

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$804

/mo nomad

Saryagash

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$881

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shymkent and in Saryagash

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shymkent and in Saryagash actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Shymkent versus $881 in Saryagash.

Shymkent $804
Saryagash $881

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Shymkent versus $1,429 in Saryagash.

Shymkent $1,385
Saryagash $1,429

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,965 in Shymkent versus $1,977 in Saryagash.

Shymkent $1,965
Saryagash $1,977

Living in Shymkent costs roughly 9% less than in Saryagash, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shymkent 41% lower, Saryagash 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.24 ₸5,066

$9.71 ₸4,379

15.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.91 ₸15.3K

$33.93 ₸15.3K

-0.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 ₸3,007

$7.73 ₸3,486

-13.71%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ₸1,085

$2.38 ₸1,071

1.26%

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

$1.05 ₸472

$1.06 ₸478

-0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₸227

$0.59 ₸268

-15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₸515

$1.30 ₸586

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₸615

$2.08 ₸939

-34.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ₸647

$1.38 ₸624

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 ₸196

$0.48 ₸217

-10.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 ₸814

$1.58 ₸711

14.56%

Eggs

$1.74 ₸783

$1.76 ₸794

-1.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ₸4,617

$10.31 ₸4,647

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 ₸2,402

$5.76 ₸2,598

-7.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 ₸3,822

$8.92 ₸4,023

-4.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ₸519

$1.47 ₸662

-21.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ₸977

$2.20 ₸992

-1.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 ₸1,104

$2.34 ₸1,055

4.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ₸637

$2.19 ₸989

-35.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₸231

$0.71 ₸318

-28.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ₸184

$0.52 ₸235

-21.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₸433

$1.20 ₸542

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₸382

$0.98 ₸442

-13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 ₸1,074

$2.46 ₸1,108

-3.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.55 ₸2,052

$7.91 ₸3,566

-42.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₸464

$1.18 ₸534

-12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₸694

$1.97 ₸888

-21.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₸63.1

$0.21 ₸94.6

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.91 ₸7,624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₸411

$1.09 ₸493

-16.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ₸168

$0.76 ₸343

-51.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.99 ₸4,502

$6.08 ₸2,740

64.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 ₸297

$0.64 ₸287

3.13%

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

$27.2K ₸12.3M

$28.1K ₸12.7M

-2.95%

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

$29.5K ₸13.3M

$30.3K ₸13.7M

-2.60%

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

$46.66 ₸21.0K

$67.4 ₸30.4K

-30.74%

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

$9.48 ₸4,273

$10.10 ₸4,551

-6.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.26 ₸6,878

$15.76 ₸7,105

-3.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ₸17.6K

$42.34 ₸19.1K

-7.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.81 ₸3,973

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 ₸2,529

$5.09 ₸2,296

10.22%

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

$57.1 ₸25.8K

$145 ₸65.6K

-60.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 ₸2.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.07 ₸16.7K

$57.3 ₸25.8K

-35.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.63 ₸15.2K

$45.68 ₸20.6K

-26.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ₸82.1K

$94.6 ₸42.6K

92.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.9 ₸23.4K

$89.9 ₸40.5K

-42.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 ₸154.0K

$344 ₸155.2K

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ₸91.8K

$231 ₸104.3K

-12.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₸311.9K

$670 ₸302.1K

3.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ₸245.8K

$495 ₸223.1K

10.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,105 ₸497.9K

$1,085 ₸488.9K

1.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$978 ₸440.8K

$855 ₸385.5K

14.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$445 ₸200.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

19.25

-5.19%

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

Last update for Shymkent: November 2, 2026

Last update for Saryagash: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shymkent

$204 25.3%

Saryagash

$231 26.3% 13.7% $28

Groceries & Markets

Shymkent

$185 23%

Saryagash

$205 23.3% 10.7% $20

Eating Out

Shymkent

$153 19.1%

Saryagash

$147 16.7% 4.4% $6.7

Clothing & Footwear

Shymkent

$137 17.1%

Saryagash

$129 14.7% 5.7% $7.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shymkent

$71 8.9%

Saryagash

$93 10.6% 30.6% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Shymkent

$50 6.3%

Saryagash

$53 6% 4.4% $2.2

Getting Around

Shymkent

$3.3 * 0.4%

Saryagash

$23 2.6% 578% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Shymkent and $344 in Saryagash. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34 in Shymkent vs $34 in Saryagash for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $205 per month, with Shymkent cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Shymkent

🇰🇿 Saryagash

🕒 Local time

07:34 7:34 AM

Same time as Shymkent

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,222,055

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Saryagash: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $804 in Shymkent and $881 in Saryagash, so Shymkent is about 9% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,206 in Shymkent and $1,321 in Saryagash to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $342 in Shymkent versus $344 in Saryagash. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57 in Shymkent versus $145 in Saryagash. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $804 per month in Shymkent versus $881 in Saryagash – Shymkent is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Shymkent 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 Saryagash are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.