Overview At a Glance Cost of Living Safety Cities Healthcare Environment FAQ Before You Go

Kazakhstan🇰🇿

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At a Glance

How Kazakhstan compares across key indices

Cost of Living

38 vs NYC

100 = NYC

Safety Index

79/100

Healthcare

59/100

Quality of Life

162/200

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Cost of Living

How far your money goes in Kazakhstan

Cost of Living

100 = NYC baseline

Rent Index

100 = NYC rent

Groceries

100 = NYC groceries

Restaurant Prices

100 = NYC dining

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Compare Kazakhstan

Side-by-side comparison with another country

Safety & Crime

Low Risk

How safe residents feel in Kazakhstan - based on surveys of people living there

Safety Index

79/100

Crime Index

10/100

Lower is better

Walking Safety

Daytime100

Nighttime100

0 point drop from day to night

Cities in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has 83 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $743 in Shchuchinsk to $919 in Astana. Shchuchinsk leads on safety, scoring 83/100. Shchuchinsk ranks highest for quality of life at 169/200.

💸Most Affordable

Shchuchinsk

$743/mo

Safest

Shchuchinsk

83/100

Best Quality of Life

Shchuchinsk

169/200

Best Healthcare

Almaty

67/100

City filter

Featured

Curated and popular cities first.

40 of 83 shown

City	Monthly Cost	Safety	Quality of Life	Healthcare	Pollution
Astana	$919	77/100	166/200	66/100	43
Almaty	$889	75/100	165/200	67/100	46
Shymkent	$869	76/100	165/200	65/100	45
Aktobe	$834	78/100	166/200	63/100	41
Karagandy	$834	78/100	166/200	63/100	41
Taraz	$821	79/100	166/200	62/100	40
Kyzylorda	$821	79/100	166/200	61/100	40
Oral	$818	79/100	167/200	61/100	39
Pavlodar	$818	79/100	167/200	61/100	39
Ust-Kamenogorsk	$817	79/100	167/200	61/100	39
Semey	$813	79/100	167/200	61/100	39
Atyrau	$813	79/100	167/200	61/100	39
Turkestan	$803	80/100	167/200	60/100	38
Kostanay	$800	80/100	167/200	60/100	38
Petropavl	$798	80/100	167/200	60/100	38
Temirtau	$792	80/100	167/200	59/100	37
Kokshetau	$787	81/100	167/200	59/100	36
Aktau	$786	81/100	167/200	59/100	36
Rudnyy	$779	81/100	168/200	58/100	36
Ekibastuz	$778	81/100	168/200	58/100	36
Taldykorgan	$776	81/100	168/200	58/100	35
Zhezqazghan	$772	82/100	168/200	58/100	35
Zhanaozen	$772	82/100	168/200	57/100	35
Balqash	$762	82/100	168/200	57/100	34
Sarqant	$761	82/100	168/200	57/100	34
Baikonur	$757	82/100	168/200	56/100	33
Satpayev	$757	82/100	168/200	56/100	33
Kentau	$749	83/100	168/200	56/100	33
Ridder	$745	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Qulsary	$744	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Shchuchinsk	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Stepnogorsk	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Altay	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Aksu	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Zhitikara	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Saran	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Talghar	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Konayev	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Arkalyk	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32
Shakhtinsk	$743	83/100	169/200	55/100	32

Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.

Compare Cities Side by Side

Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life

Healthcare

Healthcare system overview for Kazakhstan

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Environment

Moderate

Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Kazakhstan

Pollution Index

40/100

Lower is better

PM2.5

20.0ug/m3

Moderate

Environmental Quality

Air Quality100/100

Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about living in Kazakhstan, answered with data

What is the cost of living in Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan has a cost of living index of 38 relative to New York City (100). It is significantly cheaper than the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $772 in Zhezqazghan and reach $919 in Astana.

What is the cheapest city in Kazakhstan for expats?

Zhezqazghan is the most affordable city in Kazakhstan in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $772 for a single person including rent. Zhanaozen is the next most affordable at $772/mo.

Is Kazakhstan safe for expats?

Kazakhstan has a safety index of 79/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Zhezqazghan scores highest on safety at 82/100.

What is the best city in Kazakhstan for expats and digital nomads?

Zhezqazghan ranks highest for quality of life in Kazakhstan, scoring 168/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $772/mo for a single person.

How good is healthcare in Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan scores 59/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it adequate by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.

Is Kazakhstan cheaper than the United States?

Yes. Kazakhstan's cost of living is roughly 62% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 72% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.

Before You Go

Your pre-departure checklist for Kazakhstan

Plan Your Move

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Cost of Living

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Cost of living, safety, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates modeled from open public sources. Data sources

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