Cost of Living Comparison Between Taraz and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Taraz and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $562 in Taraz versus $675 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $884 in Taraz versus $1,087 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,206 in Taraz versus $1,499 in Shymkent.

Living in Taraz costs roughly 17% less than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taraz 58% lower, Shymkent 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.98 ₸2,745

$9.50 ₸4,358

-37.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.50 ₸8,947

$19.72 ₸9,049

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 ₸2,662

$6.93 ₸3,181

-16.31%

Cappuccino

$1.35 ₸617

$1.80 ₸825

-25.00%

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

$0.76 ₸349

$1.02 ₸467

-25.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₸171

$0.41 ₸188

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ₸547

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₸733

$1.81 ₸831

-11.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 ₸458

$1.15 ₸526

-13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 ₸174

$0.28 ₸128

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ₸522

$1.64 ₸753

-30.49%

Eggs

$1.75 ₸803

$1.44 ₸661

21.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 ₸4,080

$8.24 ₸3,781

7.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 ₸2,096

$4.24 ₸1,947

7.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.03 ₸3,224

$6.53 ₸2,997

7.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₸597

$0.94 ₸431

38.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₸907

$1.79 ₸820

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ₸911

$1.91 ₸876

4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ₸893

$1.01 ₸464

93.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₸254

$0.47 ₸216

17.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₸171

$0.35 ₸160

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₸423

$0.79 ₸361

16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₸328

$0.64 ₸291

10.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 ₸884

$1.92 ₸882

0.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.46 ₸2,048

$4.38 ₸2,008

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸425

$1.01 ₸462

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₸724

$1.39 ₸639

13.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₸83.0

$0.15 ₸70.3

20.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₸351

$0.84 ₸386

-8.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ₸188

$0.67 ₸310

-38.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ₸1,580

$5.83 ₸2,675

-40.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 ₸194

$0.49 ₸227

-14.29%

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

$19.8K ₸9.1M

$19.5K ₸9.0M

1.38%

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

$21.9K ₸10.0M

$24.4K ₸11.2M

-10.24%

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

$49.21 ₸22.6K

$50.1 ₸23.0K

-1.82%

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

$7.61 ₸3,493

$8.52 ₸3,908

-10.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.73 ₸3,546

$12.63 ₸5,792

-38.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.95 ₸14.7K

$33.54 ₸15.4K

-4.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.74 ₸3,552

Cinema Ticket

$3.83 ₸1,757

$4.77 ₸2,188

-19.71%

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

$214 ₸98.1K

$48.41 ₸22.2K

341.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,924 ₸2.3M

$4,897 ₸2.2M

0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.66 ₸10.9K

$32.48 ₸14.9K

-27.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 ₸18.3K

$30.48 ₸14.0K

30.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₸45.4K

$122 ₸56.1K

-19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 ₸26.6K

$46.94 ₸21.5K

23.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 ₸109.2K

$303 ₸139.1K

-21.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.7 ₸44.8K

$176 ₸81.0K

-44.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₸176.7K

$460 ₸211.0K

-16.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₸79.1K

$354 ₸162.6K

-51.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$834 ₸382.5K

$1,091 ₸500.7K

-23.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 ₸271.5K

$956 ₸438.7K

-38.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 ₸127.2K

$437 ₸200.4K

-36.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.25

19.5

-16.67%

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

Last update for Taraz: April 25, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Taraz and $303 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shymkent pays 58% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Taraz vs $20.00 in Shymkent. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $150, 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

Taraz vs Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taraz and Shymkent differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($562 vs $675 including rent). Taraz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Shymkent earns 58% 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: $238 in Taraz versus $303 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $214 in Taraz versus $48.41 in Shymkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Taraz – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $20.00 in Shymkent. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Taraz 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, Taraz and Shymkent 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 Taraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Shymkent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.