Kazakhstan
AzerbaijanAstana makes sense if
- Access to stronger healthcare matters most to you.
Astana vs Baku
Astana's monumental new districts and severe continental seasons create a planned, spacious capital routine. Baku puts daily life beside the Caspian, with a historic core and busy boulevard, and feels more layered and outward-facing; both ask newcomers to adapt to a different civic and language context.
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
Baku makes sense if
- You want the easier housing and budget equation in this comparison.
- You want the broader career options in this comparison.
- You want the deeper culture and food scene.
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
- 1Baku58
Leads on nature & outdoors and city life; stands out for beach & sea and winter comfort.
- 2Astana55
Narrowly best on moving & settling in: 53 vs Baku's 50; stands out for fewer muggy days and traffic flow.
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
Baku79Astana77
One-bedroom rent
Per month, new lease, citywide
$135/mo$2,444/mo
- $583/mo
- $353/mo, leads
Rent as share of local pay
One-bedroom rent vs. typical net local pay
21%120%
- ~61%
- ~57%, leads
Everyday prices
Excluding rent · United States = 100
25131
- 39
- 38
Income tax + social contributions
Range: average-wage rate to top marginal rate; the dot marks its midpoint
0%46%
- 18–18%
- 13–14%, leads
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
- 198 days
- 280 days, leads
Muggy days
Days that feel sticky (dew point)
0 days365 days
- 5 days, leads
- 121 days
Air pollution
Annual mean fine particles (PM2.5)
4.6 µg/m³84 µg/m³
- 16.6 µg/m³
- 17.6 µg/m³
Nature & outdoors
How easily you get to water, mountains and green space.
Section score out of 100
Baku36Astana26
Beach & sea
110
- 1/10
- 5/10, leads
Mountains
110
- 3/10
- 4/10, leads
City parks
110
- 6/10, leads
- 5/10
Weekend escapes
110
- 4/10
- 6/10, leads
City life
Getting around on foot, food, culture and the feel of the streets.
Section score out of 100
Baku66Astana55
Walkability
110
- 3/10
- 5/10, leads
Public transport
110
- 4/10
- 6/10, leads
Restaurants
110
- 6/10
- 8/10, leads
Public spaces
110
- 7/10
- 9/10, leads
Safety & health
Crime, how safe people feel, and the care you would get.
Section score out of 100
Astana66Baku65
Homicide rate
Per 100,000 residents per year
0.247
- 1.4
- 2.1
Feels safe day to day
110
- 8/10
- 8/10
Healthcare quality
110
- 8/10, leads
- 7/10
English-speaking care
110
- 5/10
- 5/10
Work & family
Jobs, working culture, schools and raising kids.
Section score out of 100
Astana54Baku52
Job market
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Jobs in English
110
- 4/10
- 5/10, leads
Work–life balance
110
- 5/10, leads
- 4/10
Schools
110
- 6/10, leads
- 5/10
Moving & settling in
Visas, language, paperwork and staying connected.
Section score out of 100
Astana53Baku50
Visa & residence difficulty
Typical case; your passport changes this
110
- 4/10, leads
- 5/10
Language barrier
For an English speaker
110
- 7/10
- 7/10
Openness to newcomers
110
- 6/10
- 6/10
Flight connections
110
- 6/10
- 7/10, leads
Society & values
Where each city sits. There is no right end of these scales.
Social attitudes
ConservativeLiberal
- 4/10
- 3/10
LGBTQ+ acceptance
LowHigh
- 2/10
- 2/10
Diversity
HomogeneousDiverse
- 7/10
- 5/10
Religion in public life
ReligiousSecular
- 7/10
- 8/10
Life in each city
Daily life
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.
Baku
Baku spreads more than it stacks, with lower density than Istanbul or Tbilisi and a real reliance on cars to get around. The old walled city and the seafront promenade are genuinely walkable, but much of the wider city assumes a vehicle.
Safety
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.
Baku
Street safety is a clear strength. Violent and petty crime stay low, on par with Tbilisi, and walking at night feels comfortable across most of the city.
Work and healthcare
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.
Baku
Baku's local prospects are narrow, with limited industry breadth, few English-language roles, and a small startup scene. Healthcare is a weak spot.
Culture and public life
Astana
A young capital still building its scene. Its showpiece boulevards, plazas and monuments are impressive, if a little sterile and overscaled.
Baku
Baku has a strong sense of itself. The boulevard is free to walk and the city stays fairly cheap.
Summary
Baku suits those drawn to a waterfront capital with a visible historic centre and broader street life. Astana may appeal if you prefer planned space and a more orderly modern layout, but its winter climate is a major everyday commitment.
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.