Kazakhstan Travel Cost Index 2026: Prices in 20 Cities

Kazakhstan’s official February 2026 price data shows a large city gap: the reproducible travel reference basket in this dataset ranges from 22,257 KZT in Semey to 46,934 KZT in Almaty. That basket combines one official observed hotel day, four card or QR bus rides, one cinema ticket, and a fixed grocery basket. It is a comparison tool, not a promised daily spend.

The source is the Bureau of National Statistics February 2026 retail-price workbook, published on March 10, 2026. This page converts the Russian-language tables into a citation-ready English dataset covering the national aggregate and 20 cities. Every raw value remains in KZT, every formula is disclosed, and both machine-readable downloads carry the original source URL and retrieval date.

Direct answer	Official February 2026 result
Highest reference basket	Almaty, 46,934 KZT, index 123.0
Lowest reference basket	Semey, 22,257 KZT, index 58.3
National reference basket	38,160 KZT, index 100.0
Highest card or QR bus fare	Almaty and Konaev, 120 KZT
Lowest card or QR bus fare	Shymkent, Aktau and Turkistan, 70 KZT
Dataset scope	20 cities, 12 official price metrics, 3 derived metrics

What the Kazakhstan Travel Cost Index Measures

The index compares the same disclosed basket in every city, so it measures relative price conditions rather than predicting a traveler’s exact bill. The 12 raw inputs are wheat bread, a dozen eggs, rice, milk, bone-in beef, chicken, potatoes, apples, AI-92 gasoline, one city-bus ride paid by card or QR, one cinema ticket, and one hotel day.

The grocery reference basket adds one Bureau pricing unit of each of the eight food items. The full reference basket then adds one hotel day, four bus rides, and one cinema ticket. Finally, each city basket is divided by the official Kazakhstan-wide basket of 38,160 KZT. The national aggregate equals 100.

This design makes the result reproducible. It also prevents a common travel-content error: mixing a current hostel deal, a remembered taxi price, a restaurant menu, and an old exchange rate into one false daily-budget promise.

Download the Open Dataset

Use the CSV for analysis and spreadsheets; use the JSON for applications, dashboards, and AI retrieval. Both files expose the same 315 location-metric observations: 21 locations, including the national aggregate, multiplied by 15 raw and derived metrics. The CSV is long-form; the JSON groups metrics under each location.

• Download Kazakhstan Travel Cost Index 2026 CSV
• Download Kazakhstan Travel Cost Index 2026 JSON
• Open the complete Kazakhstan Data Hub

Suggested citation:

Konabayev, T. (2026). Kazakhstan Travel Cost Index 2026. About Kazakhstan. Based on the Bureau of National Statistics, Retail Prices for Selected Goods and Services, February 2026. CC BY 4.0 compilation. https://about-kazakhstan.com/kazakhstan-budget-travel/

The compilation is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Attribute About Kazakhstan for the English compilation and retain the original Bureau source when reproducing official values.

Kazakhstan Prices by City

Almaty is the only city above the official national reference level in this basket, mainly because its observed hotel value is 34,807 KZT. Semey, Aktau, Taldykorgan, and Taraz form the lowest end of this specific comparison. That does not mean every trip is cheaper there: route availability, season, property quality, and intercity transport can reverse an individual itinerary.

City	Hotel day KZT	Bus ride KZT	Cinema KZT	Grocery basket KZT	Reference basket KZT	Index
Almaty	34,807	120	2,696	8,951	46,934	123.0
Oral	26,666	100	2,166	7,635	36,867	96.6
Petropavl	23,180	100	1,711	8,123	33,414	87.6
Konaev	20,954	120	2,600	8,562	32,596	85.4
Shymkent	20,948	70	2,510	8,346	32,084	84.1
Astana	20,224	110	2,785	8,372	31,821	83.4
Zhezkazgan	19,064	80	2,000	8,874	30,258	79.3
Atyrau	16,151	80	2,884	8,480	27,835	72.9
Pavlodar	17,169	100	2,065	7,741	27,375	71.7
Aktobe	17,056	80	2,236	7,550	27,162	71.2
Turkistan	16,413	70	2,796	7,632	27,121	71.1
Oskemen	14,444	90	3,132	8,818	26,754	70.1
Karaganda	15,885	100	1,919	8,027	26,231	68.7
Kostanay	15,639	100	2,241	7,757	26,037	68.2
Kokshetau	15,157	100	2,000	7,912	25,469	66.7
Kyzylorda	14,832	85	2,366	7,813	25,351	66.4
Taraz	14,845	100	1,876	8,110	25,231	66.1
Taldykorgan	14,059	80	1,897	8,099	24,375	63.9
Aktau	12,320	70	2,274	8,452	23,326	61.1
Semey	11,959	80	1,579	8,399	22,257	58.3

The index is ordered by the combined reference basket, not by a subjective “best value” score. Astana’s basket is below the national aggregate even though it is a capital city. Oral is close to the national benchmark because the official hotel observation is relatively high. Aktau’s low observed hotel value offsets a grocery basket above several inland cities.

What the Official Data Says About Transport

Public transport is inexpensive relative to the other components: the official card or QR bus fare ranges from 70 to 120 KZT. Almaty and Konaev are at 120 KZT; Astana is 110 KZT; several regional cities are between 80 and 100 KZT. Four rides therefore add only 280 to 480 KZT to the comparison basket.

The city operator cross-checks match the Bureau table. ONAY lists Almaty at 120 KZT per ride, while City Transportation Systems lists Astana’s single ride at 110 KZT. Visitors should still confirm the accepted payment method after arrival because cash, bank-card, QR, and transport-card rules can differ.

Long-distance movement is deliberately excluded. Kazakhstan’s scale means a domestic flight, sleeper train, or private transfer can cost more than several days of city transport. Use the best time to visit Kazakhstan guide before fixing a route because season and geography affect which roads and attractions are practical.

How to Read the Hotel Values

The hotel column is an official observed service price, not a live booking quote or a guarantee for a named hotel. The Bureau registers actual prices at selected observation objects under a common specification. Its consumer-price observation methodology explains that price collection uses selected outlets, administrative information, and alternative data.

Use the hotel number to compare cities under one statistical frame. For an actual booking decision, compare the exact property, cancellation terms, room type, taxes, and dates. Almaty’s statistical value being 34,807 KZT does not mean every Almaty room costs that amount.

How to Plan a Real Kazakhstan Budget

Start with the city basket, then add only itinerary-specific costs instead of multiplying the index into a universal daily budget. A practical calculation has five layers:

1. Check exact accommodation dates and cancellation terms.
2. Add intercity trains, flights, or transfers separately.
3. Add paid nature access, tours, equipment, or guides for the selected route.
4. Convert KZT using the National Bank’s daily official rate on the planning date.
5. Keep a contingency for weather, route changes, and remote-area transport.

For a first trip, use the Almaty guide for city logistics and the Kazakhstan weather-by-month table for seasonal constraints. Review the Kazakhstan safety guide before remote travel. Install connectivity before landing or compare local options with the Kazakhstan eSIM guide.

This method separates fixed observed benchmarks from volatile quotes. It also makes later updates auditable: the official source period can change without rewriting the formula or pretending the old result is still current.

Methodology and Reproducibility

All raw values come from one official workbook, and all derived values can be rebuilt with three formulas. The source workbook was retrieved on July 14, 2026 and recorded with SHA-256 e25cb2956a56c118251d41724f45c463bf950fee587a21d45850fc5f5f05d68d.

1. Grocery basket = wheat bread + dozen eggs + rice + milk + bone-in beef + chicken + potatoes + apples.
2. Reference basket = hotel day + four bus rides + cinema ticket + grocery basket.
3. Index = city reference basket / official national reference basket × 100.

The official national values are retained as published. They are not recalculated as a simple average of the 20 cities. The CSV uses long form so each observation carries its metric, unit, source period, source URL, retrieval date, and value type. The JSON adds metric definitions, formulas, and limitations.

Limitations

The dataset is strong for transparent city comparison but not for quoting a complete itinerary. Keep these boundaries when citing it:

• February is the observation period; seasonal hotel and produce prices can move.
• The 20-city table does not represent villages, remote parks, or roadside services.
• The hotel value does not specify a property, room class, or future booking date.
• The grocery basket is a fixed comparison basket, not a nutritional plan.
• Intercity transport, restaurants, tours, visas, insurance, and international flights are excluded.
• Currency conversions are intentionally excluded because the KZT rate changes daily.

These exclusions are a feature, not missing decoration. A smaller reproducible index is more useful for citation than a large but unverifiable list of remembered prices.

Sources

1. Bureau of National Statistics: Retail prices for selected goods and services, February 2026
2. Bureau of National Statistics: consumer-price observation methodology
3. ONAY: Almaty card and fare information
4. City Transportation Systems: Astana single-fare notice
5. National Bank of Kazakhstan: daily official exchange rates

Related Guides

Use Almaty and Astana for city decisions, best time to visit Kazakhstan and weather by month for timing, Kazakhstan safety for risk planning, and the Kazakhstan eSIM guide for connectivity. The Kazakhstan 7-day itinerary shows where intercity costs enter a real route.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How expensive is Kazakhstan in 2026?

The official February 2026 comparison basket ranges from 22,257 KZT in Semey to 46,934 KZT in Almaty, with the official national aggregate at 38,160 KZT. The basket contains one observed hotel day, four bus rides, one cinema ticket, and a fixed grocery basket. It is a city-comparison benchmark, not a promised daily travel cost.

Which Kazakhstan city is most expensive in this index?

Almaty is highest at index 123.0, driven mainly by the official observed hotel value of 34,807 KZT. Oral is next at 96.6. A specific traveler may see a different order because live rooms, routes, dates, and activities are outside the index.

Which city is cheapest in the Kazakhstan Travel Cost Index?

Semey is lowest at index 58.3 and a 22,257 KZT reference basket. Aktau follows at 61.1. This ranking applies only to the disclosed official-price basket and does not include the cost of reaching each city.

Does the dataset include hotel and food prices?

Yes. It includes the official observed hotel-day value and eight grocery price representatives for every covered city. It does not include restaurant menus, hostel deals, or a guaranteed future hotel quote.

Where can I download Kazakhstan city price data?

Download the open CSV at about-kazakhstan.com/datasets/kazakhstan-travel-cost-index-2026.csv or the JSON at about-kazakhstan.com/datasets/kazakhstan-travel-cost-index-2026.json. Both include source metadata, units, formulas, and retrieval date.

Last verified: July 14, 2026. The raw source is the official Russian-language Bureau of National Statistics February 2026 price workbook.