Experience in Almaty, Kazakhstan by Bainazar

What is it like to live in Almaty? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Almaty is amazing city with great views (old & new part of the city, mountains)! Eveything here are cheap (food, tourism, transport, accomodation), but not clothes and techniques (kazakhs usually go shopping to Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, China and it's really cheapper). People here love tourists and foreign students, but you should know that citizens are little shy. If you already find good friends, you'll really enjoy this city:).

What is the student lifestyle like in Almaty?

Firstly You mustn't miss/late for lessons. It's not as hard as you think. But teachers need all of your attention! Do everythink on time and with high quality and don't be afraid for your marks!

How much does it cost to live in Almaty?

Accomodation: for flat with the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, with all taxes usually I paid 200-300$ (for people with average income);

Food: 100$ monthly food (milk, bread, vegetables and etc.);

Parties: usually for every event you spend 5-6000 KZT (30-40$)

Don't be afraid you can divide the money with your friends and everithing depends on you). And also Kazakhstan had devolvation of national currency, it's great for foreigners. Cause you could get 1$ for 185KzT, today 1$=333KzT.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Almaty? Is there any advice you can give?

If it's academic mobility, you'll get university dorm (all universities have).

If you wanna get flat, you should find realtor (ask about them from your groupmates or google them) or follow this link: https://krisha.kz/arenda/kvartiry/ (it's the most famous website).

!Remember! Ask your friends or groupmates to help you, they will do it! Cause realtors ususally don't speak English;
!Remember! Kazakhstan isn't good in English language, cause it was part of the Soviet Union. This country good at Kazakh and Russian (English is spoken by 30-40% of country). Kazakhstan is too young country (25 years of it's independence)!


If you don't know the city download "2gis" (the most productive app in Kazakhstan) from appstore, play market, I forgot market for windows phones, but there's.
To use public transport buy "ONAI CARD", you can get it from bus stations or from your universuty.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Very nutritious and tasty, where a lot of meat and flour. And not expensive). Everywhere you can find resturants or KFC, McDonalds, Starbucks and etc.

What places would you recommend visiting in Almaty?

For daily food:
Stolichnyi (supermarket) - Abylaikahana 121 district;
Magnum and Carrefour (10 stores in the city)

For cinema and clubbing:
Dostyk plaza (mall) - Dostyk 111 district;
Esentai mall - al-Farabi 77/8 district;
Bekmambetov cinema (You should that he is kazakh:) );
Chukotka bar, Tomato bar.

Parks:
The park of the first preident and Mir Fantazii and etc.

Enviroment:
Medeu skating rink and ski resort;
Shymbulak ski resort;
Big Almaty Lake;
Alma-arasan gorge;
8 lakes park resort Almaty;
Tau-spa Almaty.

There are too much places to visit and it's available, cheap and usually free, you'll enjoy it.


If you don't know the city download "2gis" (the most productive app in Kazakhstan) from appstore, play market, I forgot market for windows phones, but there's.
To use public transport buy "ONAI CARD", you can get it from bus stations or from your universuty.

Is it good to eat out in Almaty? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Too much resturants in the city, and everywhere you can find them. Students uaually eat doner-kebab or samsa (national foods).

Is the nightlife good in Almaty? Where is good to go?

Almaty is the most popular city for it's clubbs in the Central Asia, also we have a little Ibiza here - Kapshagai, but only in summer time. The most popular club today is Chukotka bar. But there's clubs, which sometimes don't know citizens, they for big bosses ;). We have a lot of malls, karaokes, restaurants and spa-centres. Just google it!

If you don't know the city download "2gis" (the most productive app in Kazakhstan) from appstore, play market, I forgot market for windows phones, but there's.
To use public transport buy "ONAI CARD", you can get it from bus stations of from your universuty.

What advice would you give future students heading to Almaty?

I can rewrite, that Kazakhs love foreigners, and everything depends on you)