Almaty and Astana among most expensive cities in the world
The largest city in Kazakhstan, Almaty, ranked 164th out of 218 cities on the analytical agency Numbeo’s list of the world's most expensive cities. Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, was ranked 176th on the list as well. Kazinform News Agency correspondent examined the rating to report the findings.
The living standard index in Almaty is 34.2, which is higher than in Astana (31.9). In terms of housing rental index, Almaty is also ahead of Astana with an index of 16.6 versus 11.3. The combined index of living standards and housing rent also shows that Almaty has a higher score (25.7) compared to Astana (22.0).
The food cost index and gastro business index also show the higher cost of Almaty. The food cost index in Almaty is 33.0, which is slightly higher than in Astana (32.6), and the gastro business index in Almaty is 34.2 versus 28.7 in Astana. However, according to the local purchasing power index, Astana is in the lead with an index of 47.4, while in Almaty this index is 45.8.
By comparison, Bishkek and Tashkent, the capitals of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan respectively, have lower scores on all indices. For example, the standard of living index in Bishkek is 29.1, and in Tashkent - 27.8. Almaty is one of the most expensive cities in the region, surpassing Astana in most respects.
Almaty's neighbors in the ranking of the most expensive cities in the world are Shenzhen in China, ranked 163rd with a standard of living index of 34.2, and Nis in Serbia, ranked 165th with an index of 34.1. Astana’s neighbors in the ranking are Accra in Ghana in 175th place with an index of 32.1, and Nairobi in Kenya in 177th place with an index of 31.7.
In terms of living standards, more than ten US cities were in the top 20, with Geneva (101.7), Zurich (100.4), and New York (100.0), San Francisco (90.5), and Boston (85.8) ranking as the top five most expensive cities.