Moving to Kazakhstan from South Korea
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Korea to Kazakhstan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Korea to Kazakhstan, you would find that Kazakhstan is 42.8% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩113,056,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly KZT22,100,523 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 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Korea to Kazakhstan.
What does your salary buy?
₩113,056,500 → KZT22,100,523
To maintain the same standard of living in Kazakhstan
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 17.8% less
Groceries
pay 63.6% less
Transportation
pay 43.0% less
Housing
pay 43.8% less
Childcare
pay 62.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.5% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Korea to Kazakhstan, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
8.33,588
South Korea
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Korea to Kazakhstan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea performs better than Kazakhstan across all safety metrics.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Kazakhstan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Korea generally does better on family life, though Kazakhstan leads in literacy rate.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Astana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 15°/-4°F (-10°/-20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 65°/41°F (18°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 30°/13°F (-1°/-11°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Astana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 9°/-8°F (-12.6°/-22.0°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 12°/-7°F (-11.3°/-21.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 23°/4°F (-5.0°/-15.6°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.4°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 67°/42°F (19.6°/5.8°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 78°/52°F (25.3°/11.2°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 81°/56°F (27.0°/13.4°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 65°/41°F (18.6°/5.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 47°/28°F (8.5°/-2.1°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.2°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 15°/-2°F (-9.7°/-18.9°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Kazakhstan
Visa Free
Kazakhstan passport holder visiting South Korea
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 South Korea?
Yes — Kazakhstan is on average about 40% cheaper than South Korea. 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 KZT5,525,131 in Kazakhstan on a ₩113,056,500 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Kazakhstan?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Kazakhstan has 14.9 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?
South Korea performs better than Kazakhstan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kazakhstan is 2.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.
How is healthcare in Kazakhstan compared to South Korea?
Kazakhstan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Korea leads in health coverage index. There are 40.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Kazakhstan, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Kazakhstan scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Kazakhstan compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Astana is 46°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Astana receives around 12.5 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Kazakhstan?
The official languages in Kazakhstan are Kazakh and Russian. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
