Kazakhstan
Almaty makes sense if
- You want the broader career options in this comparison.
- You want the deeper culture and food scene.
- You value stronger public spaces and everyday city life.
Almaty vs Astana
Almaty has an older, denser feel with mountains at its back and clear seasonal changes; its job market is narrow, so portable work helps. Astana is a spacious, planned capital on the open steppe, with severe winters and a more car-oriented layout. Almaty leads on careers, culture and public life, while Astana's housing and service advantages may matter for a different routine.
The grey shape is all 283 cities; each row says whether lower or higher is better. Ratings out of 10 are our reviewed estimates; the rest is published data. How we measure
The choice in one minute
Astana makes sense if
- A calmer day-to-day safety profile matters most to you.
- Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
What matters to you
Set how much each area counts. The ranking updates as you go. Climate and values are left out because there is no better or worse there, only your taste.
Money
Nature & outdoors
City life
Safety & health
Work & family
Moving & settling in
- 1Almaty65
Leads on nature & outdoors and city life; stands out for hiking and mountains.
- 2Astana55
Leads on safety & health; stands out for less violent crime and clean, cared-for streets.
Scores out of 100, averaged from the areas you weighted. For a ranking built around your own situation, take the quiz.
Side by side
Money
Rent on a new lease, everyday prices and tax.
Section score out of 100
Almaty77Astana77
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
$135/mo$2,444/mo
- $581/mo
- $583/mo
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
- ~65%
- ~61%, leads
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
- 39
- 39
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
- 18–18%
- 18–18%
Climate
The year month by month. Whether it suits you is yours to judge.
Solid line: average daytime high. Dashed: night-time low. Point at the chart for any month; point at a city name to shade its range.
Bright days
Under 80% cloud and under 1 mm rain
30 days347 days
- 219 days, leads
- 198 days
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
- 0 days
- 5 days
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
- 22.4 µg/m³
- 16.6 µg/m³, leads
Nature & outdoors
How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.
Section score out of 100
Almaty73Astana26
Beach & sea
110
- 2/10, leads
- 1/10
Mountains
110
- 10/10, leads
- 3/10
City parks
110
- 7/10, leads
- 6/10
Weekend escapes
110
- 10/10, leads
- 4/10
City life
Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.
Section score out of 100
Almaty65Astana55
Walkability
110
- 6/10, leads
- 3/10
Public transport
110
- 6/10, leads
- 4/10
Restaurants
110
- 7/10, leads
- 6/10
Public spaces
110
- 9/10, leads
- 7/10
Safety & health
Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.
Section score out of 100
Astana66Almaty61
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
- 2
- 1.4
Feels safe day to day
110
- 7/10
- 8/10, leads
Healthcare quality
110
- 7/10
- 8/10, leads
English-speaking care
110
- 5/10
- 5/10
Work & family
Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.
Section score out of 100
Almaty56Astana54
Job market
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Jobs in English
110
- 5/10, leads
- 4/10
Work–life balance
110
- 5/10
- 5/10
Schools
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Moving & settling in
Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.
Section score out of 100
Almaty55Astana53
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
- 4/10
- 4/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
- 6/10, leads
- 7/10
Openness to newcomers
110
- 7/10, leads
- 6/10
Flight connections
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Society & values
Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.
Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
- 5/10
- 4/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
- 2/10
- 2/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
- 7/10
- 7/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
- 7/10
- 7/10
Life in each city
Daily life
Almaty
A leafy, mostly low-slung grid laid out under the mountains, walkable enough in the core but spread out and increasingly built around the car as it pushes into the suburbs. The pace is unhurried for a city this size, far calmer than the megacities of South and Southeast Asia.
Astana
A planned capital, laid out wide and low rather than dense, with a clear divide between the older town and the monumental new government quarter. Homes tend to be roomy, but daily life leans heavily on the car, walkability is poor, and the streets lack the close-knit, mixed-use texture of an organically grown city.
Safety
Almaty
Day-to-day safety is reasonable, with low violent crime and a generally calm street feel, on par with the steadier cities of the region. Petty theft exists, as in any large city, and walking at night is broadly fine in central areas.
Astana
Reassuringly safe in everyday terms. Violent and petty crime are low, and walking around after dark feels comfortable, on par with Almaty and most of the region.
Work and healthcare
Almaty
The local market in Almaty is small, with few English-language roles and limited depth in technology and professional networks. Healthcare is functional but middling.
Astana
Astana's local market is narrow, with limited industry breadth, few English-language roles, and thin professional networks. Healthcare here is functional rather than reassuring.
Culture and public life
Almaty
The food scene is a genuine pleasure, blending Central Asian grilled meats and noodle dishes with a strong cafe culture and a growing crop of modern restaurants. Almaty is orderly and tree-lined, noticeably cleaner than South Asia, with crisp mountain air.
Astana
A young capital still building its scene. Its showpiece boulevards, plazas and monuments are impressive, if a little sterile and overscaled.
Summary
Almaty is the stronger choice if mountain access, a lively city centre and local career or cultural options are important. Astana suits someone who prefers a spacious planned capital and places more weight on affordability and services, while accepting a harsh winter and car dependence. Your tolerance for climate and urban form may matter more than the score gap.
Read on
Which of these fits you?
These numbers treat everyone the same. The quiz weighs them by your budget, climate taste, family and work, and ranks all 283 cities for you.