List of Kazakhstani cities with best quality of life revealed
Cities of Turkestan, Aktau, Stepnogorsk, Kyzylorda and Atyrau were named the best for quality of living in Kazakhstan. Ranking the lowest are Kokshetau, Konayev, Shymkent and Aktobe, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The 2023 national living quality rating conducted by the Economic Research Institute measured 110 indicators, including 70 statistical and survey-based ones, in 26 Kazakhstani cities.
According to the Economic Research Institute, even through the bulk of the indicators are statistics and economic bloc-related, the cities of republican significance Astana and Almaty took 7th and 11th places only, respectively.
The capital’s residents critically assessed the quality of preschool education – 24th place among 26 cities, which is attributable to the shortage of preschool facilities as well as the lowest availability of kindergartens. The residents of Almaty have concerns about the quality of air and the high level of noise in the city, hence the lowest 26th place in terms of these indictors.
The Economic Research Institute noted that major cities are less safe due to more crimes. The study adds that residents of major cities are alarmed by rapid growth, increased burden on infrastructure (water supply cuts), shortages of social facilities, low beautification criteria (absence of green areas, untended parks, wateways).
Improving the quality of healthcare services is no less acute in a number of Kazakhstani cities. The lack of quality basic services is blamed for an outflow of people from single-industry cities of the country.
The shortage of places in schools, preschool facilities, queues in clinics has a negative impact on human capital in the country’s major cities.
According to the Economic Research Institute, the national living quality rating is an important guide and empirical base for the cities in assessing their strengths and weaknesses as well as defining strategies for their future development.
