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Kazakhstan
- Guides
- 1
- guide
- Average rating
- 8.1
- average rating
- Average monthly living costs, before rent
- $831
- a month before rent
At a glance
Visa and working hours
Digital nomad visa available
Kazakhstan introduced the Neo Nomad Visa (B12-1) in 2024 as part of its strategy to attract digital nomads and remote workers. The visa allows citizens of eligible countries with strong economies to live and work remotely in Kazakhstan for up to one year, with the possibility of extending for an additional year.
Applicants must demonstrate a minimum monthly income of $3,000 USD and work for companies based outside Kazakhstan, as local employment is prohibited under this visa. The multiple-entry visa includes family members and permits travel in and out of the country.
To apply, candidates need to submit their application to a Kazakhstani embassy or consulate with documentation including a valid passport, proof of income, and verification of remote work arrangements.
Working hours
Almaty operates on Kazakhstan Time, which is GMT+5 throughout the year, as the country does not observe daylight saving time, making visiting during the summer months marginally better for maintaining alignment with Europe. Up until 2024, the country was at GMT+6, which you may still see referenced in some previous articles, and some databases still reference that previous time structure.
If you are maintaining hours with European colleagues, this means a later start to your working day. I would generally start around 10:00 and finish up at some point in the early evening.
Personally, I found this a great structure as you could enjoy a leisurely morning heading to the gym or for a run, whilst still having enough time to make the most of your evening without altering your schedule as significantly as somewhere like Thailand.
It's worth noting that during the summer months the sun rises particularly early, fully bright by 04:30, with sunsets coming in just before 20:00.
Typical year in Almaty
By month
| Month | Low °C | High °C | Rain mm | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -7 | 0 | 27 | snow |
| February | -9 | -1 | 25 | snow |
| March | -5 | 15 | 69 | wet month |
| April | 5 | 21 | 71 | wet month |
| May | 12 | 26 | 73 | wet month · peak season |
| June | 18 | 34 | 11 | peak season |
| July | 20 | 36 | 19 | peak season |
| August | 19 | 34 | 17 | peak season |
| September | 10 | 26 | 48 | peak season |
| October | 4 | 20 | 53 | |
| November | -2 | 11 | 34 | |
| December | -6 | 0 | 42 | snow |
Typical daytime highs and overnight lows, from the last two years of observations (Open-Meteo). Rain icons mark the wettest months.
- Visitors a year
- 534k2024
- Crowds
- Medium
- Peak season
- May–Sep
- Low season
- Nov–Mar
Costs
$831a month, before rent
Basic living costs, rent not included
Day-to-day spending for a month: two meals out and a coffee every day, three taxis and two nights out a week, a gym and a coworking desk. Add your rent on top.
Very Affordable- Meal in a casual restaurant$7.75
- Speciality coffee$2.49
- Pint of local beer$2.49
- Cocktail$5.98
- Taxi for 2 miles$2.49
- Men's haircut$9.52
- Women's haircut$20
- Gym membership, monthly$65
- Coworking, monthly$100
Prices as of Oct 2026. Confidence: low. Sources: bluescreen.kz, dev.to, livingcost.org, workin.space. Always check locally before planning around them.