Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Taldykorgan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Taldykorgan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in Shymkent versus $923 in Taldykorgan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Shymkent versus $1,174 in Taldykorgan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,915 in Shymkent versus $1,425 in Taldykorgan.

Living in Shymkent costs roughly 15% less than in Taldykorgan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shymkent 43% lower, Taldykorgan 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₸5,011

$4.42 ₸2,018

147.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.61 ₸15.4K

$22.08 ₸10.1K

52.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 ₸2,938

$8.85 ₸4,043

-27.34%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₸1,085

$1.29 ₸588

83.72%

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

$1.02 ₸464

$0.45 ₸205

126.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₸243

$0.31 ₸144

70.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₸483

$0.90 ₸413

17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₸584

$1.27 ₸582

0.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ₸658

$1.20 ₸550

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₸192

$0.40 ₸181

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₸805

$1.49 ₸682

18.12%

Eggs

$1.72 ₸785

$1.31 ₸599

31.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 ₸4,587

$11.76 ₸5,375

-14.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 ₸2,335

$6.45 ₸2,950

-20.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 ₸3,834

$6.08 ₸2,779

37.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ₸526

$1.91 ₸875

-39.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₸947

$2.32 ₸1,062

-10.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 ₸1,112

$2.89 ₸1,321

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₸559

$1.61 ₸734

-24.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ₸247

$0.70 ₸322

-22.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₸193

$0.20 ₸91.3

110.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₸419

$1.10 ₸501

-16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₸365

$1.01 ₸462

-20.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₸1,124

$1.93 ₸884

27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.23 ₸1,933

$8.17 ₸3,735

-48.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₸466

$1.16 ₸529

-12.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₸705

$2.19 ₸1,003

-29.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₸64.6

$0.15 ₸67.0

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.39 ₸7,493

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₸387

$1.03 ₸469

-17.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₸166

$0.63 ₸287

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 ₸4,322

$10.79 ₸4,931

-12.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 ₸284

$0.55 ₸253

12.73%

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

$26.7K ₸12.2M

$25.7K ₸11.8M

3.94%

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

$29.1K ₸13.3M

$30.3K ₸13.8M

-3.81%

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

$46.46 ₸21.2K

$89.5 ₸40.9K

-48.11%

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

$9.23 ₸4,218

$10.83 ₸4,948

-14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.61 ₸6,678

$16.60 ₸7,588

-11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.79 ₸17.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.77 ₸4,007

$3.24 ₸1,481

170.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 ₸2,460

$2.64 ₸1,207

103.79%

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

$57.3 ₸26.2K

$438 ₸200.1K

-86.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ₸5.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.49 ₸16.7K

$90.9 ₸41.6K

-59.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.13 ₸15.1K

$10.83 ₸4,950

205.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$185 ₸84.4K

$57.9 ₸26.4K

219.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 ₸23.1K

$57.9 ₸26.5K

-12.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 ₸152.9K

$546 ₸249.4K

-38.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ₸90.5K

$386 ₸176.4K

-48.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$675 ₸308.5K

$1,848 ₸844.8K

-63.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 ₸246.3K

$306 ₸140.0K

75.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,081 ₸494.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 ₸444.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$428 ₸195.7K

$384 ₸175.6K

11.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

20.57

-11.28%

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

Last update for Shymkent: August 16, 2026

Last update for Taldykorgan: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Shymkent and $546 in Taldykorgan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shymkent pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Shymkent vs $22.00 in Taldykorgan. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $202, with Shymkent 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 Taldykorgan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shymkent and Taldykorgan differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($787 vs $923 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Shymkent, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $335 in Shymkent versus $546 in Taldykorgan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.3 in Shymkent versus $438 in Taldykorgan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shymkent – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $22.00 in Taldykorgan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 Taldykorgan 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 Shymkent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Taldykorgan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.