Inflation
11.39 %2025 · latest annual observation
Exact values
- 2020
- 6.72 %
- 2021
- 8.04 %
- 2022
- 15.03 %
- 2023
- 14.53 %
- 2024
- 8.69 %
- 2025
- 11.39 %
YOUR COUNTRY GUIDE
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
View on Google MapsMountain-side Almaty and Astana on the Ishim: two different city rhythms.
Start with a cityCost
Plan for your household and city
Residency
Temporary residence: work, family or study
Jobs
Covered route conditions, not a hiring forecast
Safety
No formal advice-against-travel flag — not a safety guarantee · FCDO · 2026-09-12
Economy
Inflation 11.4% · 2025 · World Bank
Climate
Temperature and humidity by city
Healthcare
Route insurance; clinic directory pending
Taxes
From 2026: 10%, then 15% on the excess
A CLOSER LOOK
Cities & places
- Almaty · Central Park avenue
Luqeran · resized / WebP · 2008 · Author website · CC BY-SA 4.0 - Astana · Ishim River
Ayratayrat · resized / WebP · 2019 · Author website · CC BY-SA 4.0 - Almaty
Patrice78500 · resized · 2009 · Public domain
Guides & practical tips
All destination guides
General practical guide
Apostilles before moving: prepare the right documents
Build your document folder without unnecessary translations or return trips.
General practical guide
Business relocation abroad: plan before incorporating
A practical business-relocation plan covering personal status, demand, separate budgets, licences, reporting and the first customer.
Inside this destination guide
Housing & everyday life
Open the housing section for rental considerations and living conditions.
TRAVEL SAFETY
Before you travel
No advice against travel
This is not a safety guarantee: risks vary by area and route.
About this warning
Source: the UK Foreign Office. Advice is for British nationals; entry rules for your passport may differ. This is travel advice, not crime statistics.
Publisher updated: 2026-03-30 · Retrieved: 2026-09-12 14:50 UTC
Latest change (English)
New information about using a local SIM card (IMEI registration) ('Entry requirements' page).
© Crown copyright · OGL v3.0
Everything for your decision
Open a topic. Unverified coverage is clearly marked.
Overview
Mountain-side Almaty and Astana on the Ishim: two different city rhythms.
Almaty
A city beside the Trans-Ili Alatau. Check the building’s seismic resilience and your actual commute: a mountain view says little about structural condition.
Astana
The capital on the Ishim: compare both river banks by daily journeys. Inspect heating, windows and shelter from wind at the entrance.
Choose a city, then explore residence options, documents and housing below.
Visa & residency
Temporary residence: work, family or study
Residence & citizenship
Residence and citizenship are separate procedures. A passport follows a separate citizenship decision.
Temporary residence: work, family or study
CIS nationals have a temporary-residence route; an arrival notification does not replace it.
- Official grounds include employment, family reunification, study and medical treatment. Employment requires the applicable contract or work authorization; nationality affects the requirements.
Guide summary, not an individual eligibility assessment. Guide date: · Primary source
Eligibility depends on nationality, status, family and documents. Years are a pre-application residence condition, excluding time to obtain the initial status and processing.
Temporary residence: work, family or study
CIS nationals have a temporary-residence route; an arrival notification does not replace it.
- Official grounds include employment, family reunification, study and medical treatment. Employment requires the applicable contract or work authorization; nationality affects the requirements.
Primary sources: eGov Kazakhstan · entry and temporary residence
Cost of living
Household, rent, school, transport and relocation
Your family and routines
Citizenship and purpose are saved with your profile; this calculator does not determine visa eligibility. Check route conditions separately. Conditions
Who's coming
Adults
2
Children
1
Child 1
Housing & bedrooms
Bedrooms, excluding living room
2
Suggested bedrooms: 2. Adults in pairs; children under 8 can share, older children follow your room preference. A planning suggestion, not a legal rule.
Transport & pets
Cats
0
Dogs
0
Jobs & business
Conditions of the covered route, not employment probability
CIS nationals have a temporary-residence route; an arrival notification does not replace it.
Residence conditionsEconomy
Currency, inflation and investment with observation dates
ECONOMY & CURRENCY
What the annual data shows
Historical World Bank observations. Not today’s exchange rate or an assessment of current military or political conditions.
Real GDP growth
6.5 %2025 · latest annual observation
Exact values
- 2020
- -2.5 %
- 2021
- 4.3 %
- 2022
- 3.2 %
- 2023
- 5.1 %
- 2024
- 5 %
- 2025
- 6.5 %
Local currency per dollar
521.04 LCU/USD2025 · latest annual observation
Exact values
- 2020
- 412.95 LCU/USD
- 2021
- 425.91 LCU/USD
- 2022
- 460.17 LCU/USD
- 2023
- 456.17 LCU/USD
- 2024
- 468.96 LCU/USD
- 2025
- 521.04 LCU/USD
Foreign direct investment
-0.3 % GDP2025 · latest annual observation
Exact values
- 2020
- 4.21 % GDP
- 2021
- 2.32 % GDP
- 2022
- 2.25 % GDP
- 2023
- 2.19 % GDP
- 2024
- 0.72 % GDP
- 2025
- -0.3 % GDP
How to read these indicators and their limits
FX is an official annual average; parallel markets, fees and restrictions are excluded. FDI measures net investment flows, not the appeal of a property or business; values can be negative. Inflation and GDP growth do not measure personal living costs, safety or hiring prospects.
World Bank · 2020–2025 · CC BY 4.0
Taxes & money
From 2026: 10%, then 15% on the excess
From 2026: 10%, then 15% on the excess
For the relevant individual-income category, the higher-rate threshold is 8,500 MCI per calendar year.
- Below the threshold the rate is 10%; above it, 10% applies up to the threshold and 15% to the excess. This is not one rate for every income type: dividends, business income, deductions and social payments require separate checks.
Primary sources: State Revenue Department · 2026 income-tax rates
Housing
The owner participates in immigration formalities
The owner participates in immigration formalities
The host reports arrival and address changes within three working days.
- Before renting, agree who will submit the notice through the migration portal or eQonaq. The government TRP guide requires the owner’s notarized consent to residence at the address.
Primary sources: eGov Kazakhstan · host notification · Government of Kazakhstan · owner consent
Safety
Official advice; city crime statistics not yet verified
The warning summary above shows retrieval dates and regional scope. It is FCDO advice for British nationals, not a crime ranking.
Read travel warningsClimate & surroundings
City temperatures, humidity and seasons
CLIMATE & HOME
What the seasons feel like
A daily mean includes the night. It is not a heat ceiling: individual days can be much hotter.
Humidity and rainfall describe a regional NASA cell, not this city station. NASA POWER: modeled outdoor relative humidity, roughly 50 km grid. Not an apartment sensor or a particular day’s weather. 2001–2020 · Data
Almaty / Kazhydromet OGMS · 1991–2020. Temperature is a daily mean, not a daytime high. Climate, not a forecast. NASA · humidity & rainfall · 2001–2020 · rainfall in mm/day.
Almaty · long-term climate, not a forecast
Warmest month · daily mean23.7°C
Coldest month · daily mean-6.1°C
Winter comfortCheck heating
Jan-6.1°C daily mean79% outdoors · NASA model0.7 mm rainfall / day
Housing: questions before signing
There is a cool season here; heating provision varies by home.
- How is the bedroom heated, and can you control the temperature overnight?
- What did electricity and heating cost in winter? Request actual bills.
- Are there drafts, wet walls or a musty smell? Request video of corners and cupboards.
- When was the boiler or heat pump last serviced, if installed?
Wildlife: what to consider
Local species for this destination are not verified yet. Tropical wildlife is not assumed to be present everywhere.
City encounter frequency is not quantified: no percentages or frequent/rare rating is available. Inspect the property, screens, drains, waste, standing water and seasonal warnings. Sources of differing dates checked 12 September 2026; categories can overlap.
Natural risks & signals
Almaty: an active seismic zone
Almaty: an active seismic zone
Almaty’s seismic exposure should not be assigned equally to every city.
- FCDO specifically identifies Almaty as being in an active seismic zone. Check structural condition and escape routes when choosing housing; consider grass-fire warnings for steppe journeys.
Primary sources: FCDO · Kazakhstan safety
Healthcare & insurance
Ambulance: 103; prescriptions and language
Ambulance: 103; prescriptions and language
The ambulance operator may not speak English. For prescription medicine, FCDO lists a local prescription or a UK prescription translated into Kazakh or Russian; check pharmacy acceptance for other foreign prescriptions.
Family & children
Spouse’s TRP and the child’s age
Spouse’s TRP and the child’s age
The eGov guide says children under 16 do not need a TRP, while a spouse and children over 16 do. At the age boundary, confirm the individual procedure before lawful stay expires.
Transport & infrastructure
Winter roads and 112 alerts
Winter roads and 112 alerts
Snow, ice and low visibility complicate winter journeys. Local SIM cards receive 112 messages in Kazakh and Russian; check road closures before departure.
Laws & documents
IIN, contract and fingerprints
IIN, contract and fingerprints
The government’s employment-residence guide identifies several separate steps.
- Obtain an IIN at a Public Service Centre; the employment contract is registered in the unified employment-contract system. The guide also lists medical insurance and fingerprint registration for foreign nationals aged 16 or older.
Primary sources: Government of Kazakhstan · TRP procedure
Cities
Almaty · Astana
Two cities, two different scenarios. These are starting points, not a finished neighborhood ranking.
Almaty
A city beside the Trans-Ili Alatau. Check the building’s seismic resilience and your actual commute: a mountain view says little about structural condition.
Astana
The capital on the Ishim: compare both river banks by daily journeys. Inspect heating, windows and shelter from wind at the entrance.
Practical tips
General checklist; a country-specific collection is pending
Rule updates
Visas and expat life: date, source and next action
Sources checked: 2026-09-12. An editorial selection, not automatic monitoring of all legislation.
Seven calendar days through 2026-09-12 · by primary-source publication or update date. Newly published verified records reload every five minutes; sourcing and review are currently editorial.
No verified items match this filter
This does not mean no rules changed. We do not fill the feed with unverified stories. Check upcoming changes or all verified records.
Sources & data coverage
Reviewed:
- eGov Kazakhstan · host notification
- Government of Kazakhstan · owner consent
- State Revenue Department · 2026 income-tax rates
- FCDO · Kazakhstan safety
Dates and limitations appear with each dataset. This guide is not a substitute for individual legal and tax review.
Practical answers before moving
Kazakhstan: what goes into a family living budget?
Example for two adults and a seven-year-old: a two-bedroom rental, private school and public transport. These are editorial assumptions, not verified prices. Deposits, relocation, vehicle purchase and taxes are excluded.
- Almaty: 3,654 USD/month: housing 966 USD, groceries 702 USD, utilities 156 USD, education 650 USD. The remainder covers transport, insurance, leisure and reserve.
- Astana: 3,523 USD/month: housing 897 USD, groceries 676 USD, utilities 182 USD, education 600 USD. The remainder covers transport, insurance, leisure and reserve.
Which cities should I compare before moving?
The host reports arrival and address changes within three working days.
- Almaty: A city beside the Trans-Ili Alatau. Check the building’s seismic resilience and your actual commute: a mountain view says little about structural condition.
- Astana: The capital on the Ishim: compare both river banks by daily journeys. Inspect heating, windows and shelter from wind at the entrance.
Where should residence planning start?
CIS nationals have a temporary-residence route; an arrival notification does not replace it.
What should families with children consider in this country?
The eGov guide says children under 16 do not need a TRP, while a spouse and children over 16 do. At the age boundary, confirm the individual procedure before lawful stay expires.
Country sources and recorded review dates · Methodology and limitations