Moving to Kazakhstan from China
What to Expect
Considering a move from China to Kazakhstan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from China to Kazakhstan, you would find that Kazakhstan is 0.4% cheaper than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly KZT34,310,230 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 64°F in Beijing, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between China and Kazakhstan.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → KZT34,310,230
To maintain the same standard of living in Kazakhstan
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 79.8% more
Groceries
pay 10.4% less
Transportation
pay 2.7% less
Housing
pay 10.0% more
Childcare
pay 63.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.4% 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 4% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from China to Kazakhstan.
Who's moving to Kazakhstan?
Top countries of origin for Kazakhstan's foreign-born residents.
- 2,476,018
- 355,751
- 296,511
- 72,761
- 64,829
- 50,912
- · · ·
-
15.2,274
China
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Kazakhstan compared to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Kazakhstan leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kazakhstan leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
China performs better than Kazakhstan across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Kazakhstan leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Kazakhstan leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
China generally does better on family life, though Kazakhstan leads in education spending.
Data: State Administration of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Beijing | Astana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 15°/-4°F (-10°/-20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 65°/41°F (18°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 30°/13°F (-1°/-11°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Astana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 9°/-8°F (-12.6°/-22.0°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 12°/-7°F (-11.3°/-21.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 23°/4°F (-5.0°/-15.6°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.4°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 67°/42°F (19.6°/5.8°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 78°/52°F (25.3°/11.2°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 81°/56°F (27.0°/13.4°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 65°/41°F (18.6°/5.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 47°/28°F (8.5°/-2.1°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.2°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 15°/-2°F (-9.7°/-18.9°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Kazakhstan
Visa Free
Kazakhstan passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: 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 China?
On average Kazakhstan is about 3% less expensive than China, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Kazakhstan?
Budget about KZT8,577,558 for 3 months in Kazakhstan (based on a CN¥508,312 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Kazakhstan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Kazakhstan: 14.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Kazakhstan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Kazakhstan safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Kazakhstan leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Kazakhstan is 2.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Kazakhstan compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kazakhstan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 40.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Kazakhstan, compared to 25.2 in China. Kazakhstan scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Kazakhstan compared to China?
The average high temperature in Astana is 46°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Astana receives around 12.5 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Kazakhstan?
The official languages in Kazakhstan are Kazakh and Russian. In China, the official language is Chinese.
