Why Public Well-Being Declines Despite Rising Salaries

The Bureau of National Statistics has released official data for the first quarter of 2026. According to the report, the average monthly nominal wage across the country reached 461,486 tenge during the first three months of this year. While this is 9.1% higher than the same period last year, the real wage index—which accounts for inflation and rising prices—dropped by 2.3%, standing at 97.7%. Consequently, even though citizens are receiving more money, their purchasing power for goods and services has diminished.

Statisticians also published the median wage, which was 331,527 tenge. This figure provides a more accurate reflection of the actual income levels of the working population in the country.

The sectors with the highest income growth include agriculture, forestry, and fisheries (20.3%), finance and insurance (18.1%), and the utility services sector. In contrast, growth in the education and healthcare sectors was significantly lower, at 4.2% and 7%, respectively.

In terms of regional growth rates, the Abai (14.2%), Pavlodar (12.4%), and Zhetysu (12.2%) regions were among the leaders. In the city of Almaty, salary levels increased by 10.7%.