Astana
Kazakhstan · Asia · 1.2M people
Kazakhstan's purpose-built capital, known for extreme winters and futuristic architecture.
Ranked #260 of 303 overall · 51.16, 71.47
Overview
Astana, Kazakhstan, is home to about 1.2 million residents and has built a reputation that goes beyond its size. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. It's a city that tends to fly under the radar compared to its country's biggest names, without being any less livable for it. People who choose to settle in Astana tend to point to a strong sense of safety and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Within the 76 cities we track in Asia, the regional average sits at 6.5/10, which puts Astana's 5.9/10 a little behind the regional norm. On CityMatch, Astana scores 5.9/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #260 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is internet & connectivity at 8/10, while climate is its softest spot at 3/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Reasonable day-to-day costs.
Generally safe with normal precautions.
Air quality dips at certain times of year.
Public transport covers the basics well.
Harsh stretches of weather part of the year.
Solid, unremarkable healthcare access.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is Astana right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Internet and connectivity score 8/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
A 7/10 safety score puts Astana among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
At 6/10, Astana is genuinely easy on the budget — one of the more affordable options for the lifestyle it offers.
Trade-offs
Climate is the hardest trade-off here at 3/10 — expect genuinely difficult weather for part of the year.
Environment and air quality score just 5/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Is Astana safe?
At 7/10, safety in Astana is unremarkable in a good way: no particular risk stands out, but it's not a standout strength either.
At night
Nighttime is fine in most central areas, but it's worth checking which neighborhoods quiet down early versus stay lively and populated.
For tourists
Tourists are generally fine sticking to well-trodden areas; the usual advice about watching belongings in crowds and transit hubs applies.
For families
Safety, healthcare (6/10) and environment (5/10) together suggest a reasonable, if not exceptional, environment for families.
For solo travelers
Solo travel here is broadly fine with standard precautions; it's worth reading recent, specific traveler reports rather than relying on the city's reputation alone.
On public transport
Transport is reasonably safe day-to-day; late-night service quality and crowd levels are worth checking if you'll rely on it after dark.
Practical tips
- →Stick to well-lit, populated streets after dark, as you would in most cities.
- →Keep valuables out of sight rather than out of caution about any specific threat.
What's the climate like in Astana?
Climate is one of Astana's harder trade-offs, at just 3/10 — genuinely difficult stretches of weather are part of living here for part of the year.
Seasonal character
Expect a genuinely challenging season — whether that's extreme heat, cold, or a prolonged wet period depends on the region, but it's a real factor in daily life here.
Comfort level
Comfort is inconsistent enough that climate should factor into any decision to move here, not just visit.
Best time to live here
Timing matters a lot — the toughest stretch of the year is worth identifying and planning around specifically before moving or booking a long stay.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Astana
Put together, quality of life in Astana is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: astana doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's more mixed and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
Astana doesn't lean strongly toward any particular pace — it's neither a nightlife-driven city nor a notably sleepy one, more of a middle-ground, live-and-let-live kind of place.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor and green-space time comes with more caveats here — environment (5/10) and climate (3/10) scores suggest it's more weather- and air-quality-dependent than in higher-scoring cities.
Getting around
Transport (6/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Astana isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Astana tends to suit people who prioritize internet & connectivity and safety over climate — see "Who Astana suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Astana?
Astana scores 5/10 on environment, suggesting air quality dips at certain times of year — a reasonable proxy for a public realm that's serviceable rather than pristine.
Public spaces
We don't have a dedicated public-space or waste-management score — the environment figure above (driven mainly by air quality) is the best available proxy, and it suggests room for improvement in at least some areas.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Astana suits
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 5.9/10 here).
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 5.9/10 here).
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 6.2/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 6.2/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Astana scores 6/10 on affordability — not cheap, but reasonable: expect a moderate budget to cover a comfortable, unremarkable lifestyle.
Safety
Astana scores 7/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual big-city precautions rather than any particular red flag.
Climate
Climate is one of Astana's tougher trade-offs, scoring just 3/10 — long or harsh seasons are part of the deal here, which is worth factoring in if weather affects your mood or routine.
Quality of life
Astana scores 5.9/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: internet & connectivity (8/10) is genuinely strong, while climate (3/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 5.9/10.
Transport
Transport in Astana scores 6/10 — workable public options exist, though a bike or occasional car still helps for some routes.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: Astana scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods.
Why choose Astana?
Astana makes the most sense if internet & connectivity matters more to you than climate — at 5.9/10 overall, it's a solid rather than perfect pick, and the trade-offs above are worth weighing against your own priorities rather than the headline score alone.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Astana safe?
Astana scores 7/10 on safety — generally fine, with the usual precautions you'd take in any mid-sized city.
What budget do I need to live in Astana?
Astana scores 6/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Astana good for families?
Astana is a reasonable family option — safety (7/10) and healthcare (6/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is Astana a good city for students?
Astana isn't an obvious student pick: affordability (6/10) and transport (6/10) average out lower than the cities we specifically tag for students.
Is Astana suitable for digital nomads?
Astana isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 8/10 and cost of living 6/10.
What's the climate like in Astana?
Astana scores just 3/10 on climate — genuinely harsh weather is part of the deal for part of the year here.
Is Astana pleasant to live in year-round?
Not entirely — Astana's climate score of 3/10 reflects a difficult stretch of weather for part of the year, even if other seasons are pleasant.
Is Astana a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 6.0/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Astana?
Yes — Astana scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Astana a good place to retire?
Astana isn't an obvious retirement pick on our data: healthcare, climate and safety average out to just 5.3/10, below what most retiree-friendly cities on our site score.
What are good alternatives to Astana?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Yerevan and Almaty are the closest matches to Astana in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Astana worth living in?
Reasonably — Astana scores 5.9/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Astana?
Based on its score profile, Astana suits people who value internet & connectivity and safety more than the average mover — see the "Who Astana suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Astana walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Astana scores 6/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Astana?
Internet & connectivity is Astana's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Astana?
Climate is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 3/10 — the lowest of Astana's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.