Cost of living in Kazakhstan: what 100 000 tenge can buy

The cost of living varies widely across Kazakhstan – that’s not even up for debate, it’s simply a fact.

Let’s see what life really looks like in different regions if your monthly income is 100 000 tenge.

If you earn 100 000 tenge, in Karaganda Region, East Kazakhstan, Astana, or Almaty you’ll feel financially squeezed – average per capita incomes there are almost twice as high.

In Abai, Akmola, Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Mangystau, North Kazakhstan, and Ulytau regions, you’d be right in the middle of the pack – your income would be close to the regional average.

But in Almaty Region, Atyrau, Zhambyl, Zhetysu, Kyzylorda, Turkistan regions, and Shymkent, you’d be considered well-off. The average resident there earns less than 100,000 tenge a month.

According to official statistics, the average Kazakhstani spends about 104 200 tenge per month. In other words, with 100 000 tenge, you could live like a “typical” Kazakhstani – at least on paper.

With this budget, you could cover a month’s worth of groceries, clothing, household essentials, housing costs, a haircut, shoe repairs, an occasional café visit, and some entertainment – while also paying taxes, sending financial help to relatives, and making your loan payment.

However, in Abai, Aktobe, Almaty Region, Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Zhetysu, Kyzylorda, Mangystau, Turkistan regions, and Shymkent, you might still have a little left over. In Akmola, Karaganda, Kostanay, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan, Ulytau, Astana, and Almaty – you’d come up short.

Why is 100 000 tenge “not enough” in the “expensive” regions?

– Basic groceries: ~30 000 tenge

– Meat and fish: ~17 000 tenge

– Clothing: 6 000-7 000 tenge per month

– Utilities: Atyrau & Zhetysu – 6 500 tenge; Karaganda & Kostanay – 8 000; Astana & Almaty – ~12 000

– Entertainment: Cheaper regions – 4 000 tenge; expensive ones – 9 000

– Transport & communication: Pavlodar & North Kazakhstan – ~15 000; East Kazakhstan – 20 000; Atyrau & Zhambyl – 7-8 000

– Loan repayments: Expensive regions – 11 000; others – 6 000

This means that in towns like Shchuchinsk, Karaganda, Kostanay, Pavlodar, Petropavl, Ulytau, East Kazakhstan, and in the big cities, it’s hard to regularly buy new clothes, upgrade home appliances, or go out often with just 100 000 tenge.

For example, in Akmola and Kostanay, you’d likely have to skip dining out or buying new outfits altogether. In North Kazakhstan and Ulytau, you could live modestly on that amount but without restaurants, leisure activities, or frequent wardrobe updates. In East Kazakhstan, you’d have to limit meat consumption and cut down on private transport expenses.

In the most expensive areas, surviving on 100 000 tenge would mean cutting back even on some basic food items like fish, and forgetting about new clothes or household goods altogether.

Food costs: where it’s higher

On average, you can put together a basic diet (beef, chicken, pasta, grains, potatoes, vegetable and butter, bread, milk, kefir, cottage cheese) for around 45 000 tenge a month. But in Astana, Almaty, Aktau, and Zhezkazgan, it’s closer to 47-48 thousand, while in Aktobe, Atyrau, Kostanay, Kokshetau, and Petropavl it’s about 39-40 thousand.

Housing situation

If 45 000 tenge goes to food, you’ve got 55 000 left for housing. But across the entire country, there are only about 140 rental listings at 50-55 000 per month. In Almaty Region, Zhambyl, Karaganda, Kostanay, Turkistan regions, and Shymkent, you might find a small apartment or room in that range. In North Kazakhstan and Ulytau – none at all.

As for mortgages, even with a government-subsidized 15% rate, a 25-year term, and a 30% down payment, you could only buy a small 30 m² one-bedroom apartment in Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Zhetysu, Kyzylorda, or Turkistan. A 40 m² apartment? Not affordable anywhere in the country on 100 000 tenge.

Bottom line:

– In most regions, 100 000 tenge only covers food.

– Renting alone? Unlikely – you’d need a roommate.

– Buying a home? Out of reach.

And yet, many Kazakhstani families somehow manage to live on this amount per person – while supporting elderly parents and raising children. That’s what you might call “magic outside of Hogwarts.”