From meat to bread: how the diet of Kazakhstanis differs in different regions

Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstanis spend more than half of their consumer expenditure on food. At the same time, diets vary significantly depending on the region, income level, and family size. A study by EnergyProm reveals which regions consume the most meat, who prefers bread and vegetables, and how the diets of the wealthy and low-income residents differ.

How much Kazakhstanis spend on food

According to the Bureau of National Statistics, in the second quarter of 2026, Kazakhstani households allocated an average of 53.7 percent of their consumer spending to food products.

Over a three-month period, a single household spent an average of 553,400 tenge on food. Of this, 183,700 tenge—approximately one-third—was spent on meat and meat products.

On average, per quarter, one Kazakhstani resident consumed 21.6 kilograms of meat, 31.2 kilograms of bread, cereals, and other grain products, 21.6 kilograms of vegetables, 18.1 kilograms of fruit, and nearly 55 eggs.

Dietary habits differ between urban and rural residents. City dwellers consume more meat, dairy products, fruit, and eggs, while rural residents consume more bread and cereals.

For example, quarterly meat consumption per capita was 22.8 kilograms in urban areas compared to 19.4 kilograms in rural areas. For dairy products, the difference was 66.3 liters versus 53 liters.

Conversely, rural residents consumed an average of 34.2 kilograms of grain products, while urban residents consumed 29.5 kilograms.

Where meat consumption is highest in Kazakhstan

According to analysts, the highest consumption of meat and meat products in the second quarter of 2026 was recorded in the Jetisu and Karaganda regions, at 25.5 kilograms per person over three months.

The Mangystau region followed closely with 25 kilograms.

The lowest meat consumption was recorded in the Turkestan region (15.8 kilograms), followed by Shymkent (16.4 kilograms) and the Kyzylorda region (16.7 kilograms).

Consequently, the gap between the regions with the highest and lowest meat consumption was approximately 1.6 times.

A similar trend is observed with dairy products. In the Akmola region, consumption reached 87.5 liters per person per quarter, and in the Karaganda region, 83 liters. In contrast, consumption in the Kyzylorda region was 43.1 liters, and in Shymkent, 44.8 liters.

Egg consumption was highest in the Karaganda region, averaging 87 per person over three months, and lowest in the Mangystau region at approximately 37.

Southern regions consume more bread and vegetables

The Turkestan region leads in the consumption of bread, cereals, and vegetables.

Over three months, each resident of the region consumed an average of 39.3 kilograms of grain products and 27.8 kilograms of vegetables—the highest figures in the country.

The lowest consumption of bread and cereals was recorded in Almaty (24.9 kilograms), the Mangystau region (26 kilograms), and Astana (26.1 kilograms).

However, these regions were among the leaders in fruit consumption.

In the Mangystau region, quarterly fruit consumption was 23.2 kilograms per person, followed by Almaty at 22 kilograms and Astana at 21.5 kilograms. The national average for Kazakhstan is 18.1 kilograms.

The situation with fish is different. The highest consumption is found in the North Kazakhstan region, at 6.3 kilograms per person per quarter. In Shymkent, this figure is only 1.2 kilograms—a difference of more than five times.

The wealthy spend three times more on food

Dietary differences are linked not only to geography but also to income levels.

According to the study, the wealthiest 20 percent of Kazakhstanis spent an average of 100,400 tenge per person per month on food and non-alcoholic beverages in the second quarter of 2026.

For the bottom 20 percent of earners, these expenses amounted to 31,000 tenge. Thus, wealthy Kazakhstanis spent 3.2 times more on food.

However, for low-income families, food accounts for a larger share of their budget.

Food makes up 57.3 percent of their consumer spending, compared to 49.6 percent for the country's wealthiest residents.

The difference in spending on dining out is even more pronounced. Wealthy Kazakhstanis spend an average of 5,600 tenge per month per person on dining out, while low-income residents spend less than 600 tenge.

Family size also plays a role. In single-person households, meat consumption was 39.4 kilograms per quarter. In families of five or more, it was 15.9 kilograms per person. The study notes that this is partly due to the presence of children in larger families.

Where diets in Kazakhstan are most caloric

Analysts also compared the caloric intake of diets, with data pertaining to 2025.

The average Kazakhstani consumed 3,284 calories per day, which is approximately 1.8 times the minimum energy requirement of 1,867 calories.

Diets in rural areas were higher in calories than in urban areas, at 3,445 versus 3,192 calories per day.

The highest figure was recorded in the Turkestan region at 4,446 calories. The study notes that residents in this region consume a significant amount of bread and cereals.

The lowest figures were reported in Shymkent at 2,744 calories and the Atyrau region at 2,800 calories.

Meanwhile, the share of Kazakhstanis whose caloric intake falls below the minimum threshold decreased from 1.4 percent in 2023 to 0.9 percent in 2025.

However, a high calorie count does not necessarily equate to a nutritious or healthy diet. While this indicator reflects total energy intake, it does not account for how balanced the diet is.