Highest-Paying Regions Identified in Kazakhstan
In 2024, the average monthly salary in Kazakhstan rocketed up to 405,416 tenge, marking a significant 11.3% rise from the previous year, as reported by Liter.kz, citing Economykz_org. However, when adjusted for inflation, the real income growth was more moderate, coming in at a modest 2.4%.
When it comes to regions with the highest salaries, the Atyrau region takes the lead with an average salary of a whopping 633,300 tenge. Following closely behind are:
- The Mangystau region - 580,900 tenge
- Astana - 538,000 tenge
- Almaty - 491,000 tenge
On the flip side, the regions recording the lowest incomes are:
- Jetisu region - 293,200 tenge
- North Kazakhstan - 293,400 tenge
- Turkestan - 295,300 tenge
- Zhambyl - 299,970 tenge
Notably, the gap between Atyrau's salary levels and that of Jetisu highlights the persistent territorial inequality in Kazakhstan's labor market.
Turning our attention to where the money is focused, the total wage fund in 2024 stood at an impressive 18.4 trillion tenge.engers. Analyzing the distribution, it was apparent that:
- A staggering 55.6% went to large enterprises
- 24.5% was for medium-sized enterprises
- 20% was allocated to small enterprises
With 3.99 million workers on the payroll, it was evident that the financial flows are highly concentrated in the economy, with 45.9% of workers employed by large enterprises.
Breaking down the top 5 industries by salary, we find:
- Mining - 866,500 tenge
- Financial and insurance sector - 856,200 tenge
- Professional, scientific, and technical activities - 597,900 tenge
- Transportation and storage - 532,100 tenge
- Construction - 508,400 tenge
Interestingly, crucial sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing sit near the bottom of the rankings.
Experts have pointed to several key factors driving income growth concentration in sectors with lower employment but higher profitability in Kazakhstan. This phenomenon contributes to a broader trend of rising income inequality.
Here are the main factors contributing to this issue:
- Structural shifts towards capital-intensive sectors
- Inflation and purchasing power erosion
- Wage disparities and limited social mobility
- Regional and demographic inequalities
- Policy and market factors
This concentration of income growth among a small segment of workers is a major concern for Kazakhstan's economy, as it worsens the income gap between the elite and the majority of the population.
In the business sector, the financial and insurance sector stands out with an average salary of 856,200 tenge, indicating a significant contribution to Kazakhstan's finance domain. Despite the growth across various industries, there remains a concerning gap, as sectors with lower employment but higher profitability such as mining and construction continue to dominate the salary rankings, contributing to increasing income inequality.
