Moving to Kazakhstan from California
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from California to Kazakhstan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from California to Kazakhstan, you would find that Kazakhstan is 64.4% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly KZT13,531,267 in Kazakhstan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Kazakh and Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Astana averages 46°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from California to Kazakhstan.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → KZT13,531,267
To maintain the same standard of living in Kazakhstan
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 67.1% less
Groceries
pay 62.1% less
Transportation
pay 60.4% less
Housing
pay 83.2% less
Childcare
pay 87.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 72.0% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Kazakhstan cost about 64% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How California and Kazakhstan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Kazakhstan performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Kazakhstan across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Kazakhstan generally does better on employment & economy, though California leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Kazakhstan across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Astana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 15°/-4°F (-10°/-20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 65°/41°F (18°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 30°/13°F (-1°/-11°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Astana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 9°/-8°F (-12.6°/-22.0°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 12°/-7°F (-11.3°/-21.8°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 23°/4°F (-5.0°/-15.6°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.4°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 67°/42°F (19.6°/5.8°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 78°/52°F (25.3°/11.2°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 81°/56°F (27.0°/13.4°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 65°/41°F (18.6°/5.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 47°/28°F (8.5°/-2.1°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.2°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 15°/-2°F (-9.7°/-18.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Kazakhstan. To live, work, or study long-term in Kazakhstan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Kazakhstan's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Kazakhstan
Visa Free
Kazakhstan passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Kazakhstan than California?
Generally yes: Kazakhstan runs about 62% cheaper than California on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Kazakhstan?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around KZT3,382,817 in Kazakhstan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Kazakhstan?
Working remotely from Kazakhstan's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and Kazakhstan.
How is healthcare in Kazakhstan compared to California?
Kazakhstan performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Kazakhstan compared to California?
The average high temperature in Astana is 46°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Astana receives around 12.5 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Kazakhstan?
The official languages in Kazakhstan are Kazakh and Russian. In California, the official language is English.
