Moving to Kazakhstan from Hong Kong
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Hong Kong to Kazakhstan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Hong Kong to Kazakhstan, you would find that Kazakhstan is 66.1% cheaper than Hong Kong overall. A HK$590,000 salary in Hong Kong would need to be roughly KZT11,600,000 in Kazakhstan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Kazakh and Russian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Almaty averages 58°F vs 79°F in Hong Kong, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Kazakhstan cheaper than Hong Kong?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.9% more
Groceries
pay 59.5% less
Transportation
pay 71.5% less
Housing
pay 79.7% less
Childcare
pay 77.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 66.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Kazakhstan?
What does your salary buy?
HK$590,000 → KZT11,600,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Kazakhstan
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Hong Kong to Kazakhstan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Hong Kong performs better than Kazakhstan across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Hong Kong performs better than Kazakhstan across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Hong Kong 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Hong Kong generally does better on employment & economy, though Kazakhstan leads in top income tax rate.
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
Hong Kong generally does better on family life, though Kazakhstan leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2016–2022), Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong (2016), Tax Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Kazakhstan vs Hong Kong
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Hong Kong | Almaty |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) | 36°/18°F (2°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) | 71°/51°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) | 81°/59°F (27°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) | 46°/27°F (8°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hong Kong | Almaty |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 30°/12°F (-1.3°/-11.1°C) |
| Feb | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) | 32°/15°F (0.2°/-9.5°C) |
| Mar | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) | 45°/28°F (7.1°/-2.4°C) |
| Apr | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) | 62°/42°F (16.5°/5.6°C) |
| May | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) | 71°/52°F (21.7°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Jul | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) | 85°/64°F (29.7°/17.6°C) |
| Aug | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) | 74°/52°F (23.4°/11.0°C) |
| Oct | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) | 61°/40°F (15.9°/4.6°C) |
| Nov | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) | 43°/26°F (6.2°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) | 33°/16°F (0.4°/-8.8°C) |
Data:
Hong Kong Observatory,
Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Can you move from Hong Kong to Kazakhstan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong passport holder visiting Kazakhstan
Visa Free
Kazakhstan passport holder visiting Hong Kong
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 Hong Kong?
Yes — Kazakhstan is on average about 66% cheaper than Hong Kong. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Kazakhstan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly KZT2,900,000 in Kazakhstan on a HK$590,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Kazakhstan?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Kazakhstan has 15.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Kazakhstan safe for expats?
Hong Kong performs better than Kazakhstan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kazakhstan is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.4 in Hong Kong.
What's the weather like in Kazakhstan compared to Hong Kong?
The average high temperature in Almaty is 58°F, compared to 79°F in Hong Kong. Almaty receives around 25.2 in of rainfall per year, while Hong Kong gets 95.7 in.
What language do they speak in Kazakhstan?
The official languages in Kazakhstan are Kazakh and Russian. In Hong Kong, the official languages are Chinese and English.
