Moving to Kazakhstan from United Kingdom

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Kingdom to Kazakhstan — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from United Kingdom to Kazakhstan, you would find that Kazakhstan is 61.4% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £55,766 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly KZT15,224,407 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 — Astana averages 46°F vs 60°F in London, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Kingdom to Kazakhstan.

What does your salary buy?

£55,766 KZT15,224,407

To maintain the same standard of living in Kazakhstan

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 60.6% less

Groceries

pay 47.6% less

Transportation

pay 68.5% less

Housing

pay 76.1% less

Childcare

pay 82.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 67.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 634.87 KZT (July 2026)

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 49% less than cities in United Kingdom.

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

Kazakhstan

Almaty 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

How United Kingdom and Kazakhstan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GB
1.0
KZ
2.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GB
2.4
KZ
12.2

United Kingdom performs better than Kazakhstan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GB
$6,606
KZ
$1,460
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GB
31.7
KZ
40.3

Kazakhstan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GB
13.0
KZ
68.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GB
4.2t
KZ
12.6t

United Kingdom performs better than Kazakhstan across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GB
41.4
KZ
14.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GB
14.3%
KZ
34.1%

United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though Kazakhstan leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GB
4.1%
KZ
4.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$54,100
KZ
$35,500

United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though Kazakhstan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GB
81.9 yrs
KZ
72.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GB
3.8
KZ
19.2

United Kingdom performs better than Kazakhstan across all family life metrics.

Data: HM Revenue & Customs, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Astana Rain: 12.5 in/yr (318 mm)
46° / 25°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months London Astana
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 15°/-4°F (-10°/-20°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 65°/41°F (18°/5°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 74°/50°F (23°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 30°/13°F (-1°/-11°C)
View all months
Month London Astana
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) /-8°F (-12.6°/-22.0°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 12°/-7°F (-11.3°/-21.8°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 23°/4°F (-5.0°/-15.6°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.4°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 67°/42°F (19.6°/5.8°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 78°/52°F (25.3°/11.2°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 81°/56°F (27.0°/13.4°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 65°/41°F (18.6°/5.1°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 47°/28°F (8.5°/-2.1°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.2°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 15°/-2°F (-9.7°/-18.9°C)

Data: Met Office Met Office, Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Kazakhstan

Visa Free
United Kingdom passport holders can enter Kazakhstan without a visa.
Kazakhstan passport

Kazakhstan passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Kazakhstan passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Kingdom.

Data: 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 United Kingdom?

Generally yes: Kazakhstan runs about 57% cheaper than United Kingdom 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 £55,766 comparable salary, that's around KZT3,806,102 in Kazakhstan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Kazakhstan?

With 14.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Kazakhstan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United Kingdom and Kazakhstan.

Is Kazakhstan safe for expats?

United Kingdom performs better than Kazakhstan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kazakhstan is 2.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.

How is healthcare in Kazakhstan compared to United Kingdom?

Kazakhstan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 40.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Kazakhstan, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. Kazakhstan scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).

What's the weather like in Kazakhstan compared to United Kingdom?

The average high temperature in Astana is 46°F, compared to 60°F in London. Astana receives around 12.5 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.

What language do they speak in Kazakhstan?

The official languages in Kazakhstan are Kazakh and Russian. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GB KZ
Population 67,791,400 19,398,331
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT)
Languages English Kazakh, Russian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +7
Time zones 9 2
Emergency number 999 112