Kazakhstan

Central Asia

Asia

A low-cost Asian country with a 5-year citizenship path, a digital-nomad visa and a startup visa, but a weaker passport and no dual citizenship.

Overall score

Moderate · 98% data coverage

Language

Kazakh, Russian

Currency

KZT

Citizenship

5 years

Personal tax

Generally 10%; higher rate applies above the statutory threshold

Cost of living

$850 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

57Residence12%

29Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

70Salary and work12%

81Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

72Taxes7%

58Business8%

39Investment5%

Daily life

25%

73Quality of life18%

74Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

29Freedom6%

38Rule of law7%

Pros

A 5-year citizenship path
A digital-nomad visa
A startup visa

Cons

A weaker passport
No dual citizenship

Best for

Remote workersFoundersStudents

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Moderate

Migrant stock10.1% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality0.05 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Low

Years required	5 years
Dual allowed	No
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 5 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Moderate

90 / 198

Mobility

#57

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free46
On arrival40
eTA4
Visa required108

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Good

Output per worker$75,824 PPP (2024)

Unemployment4.8% (2025)

Participation67.8% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)	Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Excellent

GNI / person$41,090 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$19,409 PPP (2024)

Price level37 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality29.2 Gini (2021)

Inflation11.4% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Excellent

Price level37 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$850 / mo (single)
Cities	Almaty, Astana, Shymkent

Economy

Economic strength

Good

Output & income

GDP$306.2B (2025)

GDP / person$14,692 (2025)

GNI / person$41,090 PPP (2025)

GDP growth5.0% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation11.4% / yr (2025)

Unemployment4.8% (2025)

Output per worker$75,824 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture3.7% of GDP (2025)

Industry32.3% of GDP (2025)

Services57.7% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

Oil & gasMining & metalsUraniumAgriculture & grainChemicals

Top exports

Crude oilUraniumMetals (copper, zinc)Wheat

Type	Upper-middle-income, resources-driven
Key sectors	Energy, Mining (a top uranium producer), Grain agriculture
Summary	Central Asia's largest economy, driven by oil, metals and the world's leading uranium output.
Currency	Kazakhstani tenge

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Good

Personal	Generally 10%; higher rate applies above the statutory threshold
Corporate	20%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Excellent

Personal	Generally 10%; higher rate applies above the statutory threshold
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Limited

Corporate	20%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality0.05 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness0.15 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Limited

Market cap52% of GDP (2025)

Private credit28% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Good

Salary & work

Good

Business

Moderate

Investment

Limited

Tax friendliness

Good

Cost of living

Excellent

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Good

Personal safety

Homicide rate2.6 per 100,000 (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.07 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability-0.28 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Excellent

Outcomes

Life expectancy74.5 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality9.4 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians3.75 per 1,000 (2023)

Hospital beds6.54 per 1,000 (2020)

Health spending$1,460 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Good

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure19.6 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress34.6% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Good

Digital infrastructure

Internet use93.4% (2024)

Internet resilience58 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed73 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed69 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Grid losses9.7% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality2.50 / 5 (2022)

Rail density5.9 km / 1,000 km² (2021)

Air connectivity4,287 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Good

Attainment

Expected schooling14.0 years (2023)

Mean schooling12.5 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment53% gross (2025)

Education spending4.9% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	$2,000-6,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Kazakh, Russian
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Excellent

HDI0.837 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy74.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling14.0 years (2023)

Mean schooling12.5 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025