If you have a healthy budget, you should have no problem finding somewhere decent to live and there are plenty of premium units available which are targeted at expats. If you are on a more limited budget you may struggle a little, but there is always the option of flat sharing, which helps keep costs to a minimum.
What to expect
If you plan on living in one of the major cities like Astana, Almaty, or Karaganda, the majority of rental accommodation is in the form of apartments; though it is possible to find detached houses and cottages on the outskirts for a cheaper price. A lot of apartment buildings don’t have lifts so you may want to find a unit on one of the lower floors. Demand for smaller, inexpensive apartments tends to be higher than for the premium units, so depending on your requirements it may take a while to find somewhere suitable.
Cities like Astana are currently expanding rapidly, and new, modern apartment blocks are springing up all over. Most apartments are one to three bedroomed but it is possible to find bigger places if you shop around or go through an agency. However, Kazakh tastes in interior decor can differ quite a lot from Western tastes so it’s generally wise to meet with the landlord and see the place in person before you sign any kind of agreement. Landlords are also usually happy to provide furniture, so it’s worth asking if the apartment is unfurnished and be sure to check that all the appliances are in working order.
Gas and utilities
As the water and heating in Kazakhstan is run on a central network, this usually works out cheaper than running an individual boiler, so your maintenance bills should be fairly inexpensive However, this also means that you don’t get to choose when the heating is turned on and off which can be irritating if there are some adverse weather conditions, which is common in May. There is also an interruption in the supply of hot water twice a year as the systems are switched from winter to summer and vice versa, which usually occurs in April and October.