Kazakhstan · Visit or make it home

Shymkent

Shymkent is a city in Kazakhstan. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Shymkent — Shymkent independence square in 2023

Get to know Shymkent

A sense of the place

Shymkent is a city in southern Kazakhstan, close to the border with Uzbekistan. Shymkent is the third-largest city in Kazakhstan, and serves as a regional cultural and economic center. Administratively, it is one of three cities of republican significance in Kazakhstan, the others being Almaty and Astana. Geographically, Shymkent lies approximately 690 kilometres west of Almaty, 1,483 kilometres south of Astana, and 120 kilometres north of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Historically, Shymkent dates back to at least the twelfth century, although some archeological finds date back to over 2000 BCE, and it sat along the caravan route of the Silk Road, connecting Central Asia to China, and now functions as a major railway junction for the region. The city also hosts Shymkent International Airport, which connects to various domestic and international destinations. Shymkent is home to several major historic and cultural sites, and, as of 2024, was among one of the top tourist destinations in Kazakhstan. Shymkent hosts several universities and cultural institutions.

Weather through the year

When to visit Shymkent

Temperature

July has the warmest monthly average (29.4°C); January is coolest (-1.3°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

March averages about 73 mm of rain, compared with 4 mm in August. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.

Planning time outdoors

April, May, September, October combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in June, July, August. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

January, February, December have monthly means below 5°C. For a stay then, compare accommodation heating and keep indoor options in your itinerary. These figures do not establish snow cover or ski conditions.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C-1.30.88.013.820.426.429.428.021.513.25.6-0.5
Rain, mm596973654218746376566

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Shymkent

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Shymkent

What is the average rent in Shymkent?

A verified average rent for Shymkent is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Shymkent

What is the average salary in Shymkent?

673.4 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2022. It describes Kazakhstan, not average salary in Shymkent. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2022 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Shymkent with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Shymkent, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

Compare holiday preferences →

A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

Compare with another city →

Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Shymkent in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

Compare with another city →

Compare the details

Shymkent at a glance

Kazakhstan: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Shymkent. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators

Other places to compare in Kazakhstan

What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Annual sunshine hours; Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Shymkent with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

All maintained comparisons →

Privacy choices

Optional analytics

Google Analytics helps us understand how the site is used. In the EEA, UK and Switzerland it stays off until you accept; elsewhere it starts by default. You can reject or withdraw it at any time.

Full privacy notice