Statistics Bureau reveals highest paid regions of Kazakhstan

The highest wages were recorded in Ulytau region - 637,324 tenge ($1365,18), Atyrau region - 610,111 tenge ($1 306,89), Mangistau region - 608,415 tenge ($1 303,26), Astana - 559,894 tenge ($1 199,32), and Almaty - 551,597 tenge ($1 181,55).

Meanwhile, Almaty reported the highest number of employees among regions - 941,500 people.

The lowest wages are paid in the North Kazakhstan region - 308,334 tenge ($660,47), Zhambyl region - 319,820 tenge ($685,07), Turkistan region - 319,820 tenge ($696,11), and in Shymkent - 328,608 tenge ($703,90).

The biggest growth of real wage, compared to Q1 2025, was recorded in Abai region - 104.7% and in Almaty - 104.9%.

Highest-paid sectors

The Bureau says the highest average incomes were recorded in financial and insurance sectors - 941,411 tenge ($2 016,56), mining - 1,020,632 tenge ($2 186,25), information and communication - 779,288 tenge ($1 669,28), industry - 620,775 tenge ($1 329,73), transport and warehousing - 599,489 tenge ($1 284,14).

In processing industry, average wage comprised 508,854 tenge ($1 089,99).

Education sector employs 1.17 million people, with average salary comprising 315,100 tenge ($674,96).

512,800 people are working in healthcare and social sector, with average wage set at 334,768 tenge ($717,09). 436,000 people are employed in public administration and defense, with average salary reaching 403,447 tenge ($864,21).

According to the Bureau, the payroll headcount in Kazakhstan stood at 5.2 million employees, while the number of actively employed workers was about 5 million. The country's total wage bill reached 6.66 trillion tenge in the first quarter of 2026.

The average monthly salary of employees made 445,068 tenge ($953,36 ). Compared to the same period last year, nominal wages increased by 11.5%, but the real wage index was 99.8%.

Earlier, the Ministry of National Economy announced that real salaries in Kazakhstan had increased by 41% over nine years.