Kazakhstan Plans to Raise Minimum Wage to 110,000 Tenge from 2027

Kazakhstan plans to raise the minimum wage from 85,000 to 110,000 tenge starting 1 January 2027. An estimate voiced by the president in his Address says the change will boost incomes for nearly 1.8 million citizens, including more than 370,000 budget-sector workers.

Aigerim Ilyasova, a financier and candidate of economic sciences with Qazaq Expert Club, said the 29.4% increase was a necessary step amid rising prices. The minimum wage has not changed since 1 January 2024, and cumulative inflation over those three years was about 30%, so the rise is essentially an adjustment for inflation. The change will mainly affect low-paid workers and employers in labour-intensive sectors such as public catering.

Ilyasova said the effect on prices is limited, as the average wage is 486,000 tenge and the median is 348,000 tenge. Still, higher demand from low-income households and higher labour costs passed on by employers could push up prices. Fines are tied to the monthly calculation index (MRP) and will not change, but the upper limit of unemployment, pregnancy and childcare benefits, set at seven times the minimum wage, will rise.