Approximately every third Kazakhstani is forced to take a loan or credit to conduct a funeral. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
According to the National Statistics Bureau, this indicator has not changed since 2023. Elderly people are especially numerous among those who go into debt to bury a loved one. Their share is 41.2%.
The cost of ritual services increased 3.5 times over the year. In 2024, the volume of these services amounted to 6.4 billion tenge, and last year it reached 22.2 billion tenge. However, the total expenses of Kazakhstani citizens on funeral and memorial ceremonies may be significantly more than 22.2 billion tenge.
This is because this statistics includes only funds that relatives of the deceased pay to ritual service companies for transporting the body, digging a grave, and organizing the burial site. Expenses for memorial events in canteens and cafes are not included in this category.
The cost of funeral, memorial, and meal ceremonies varies by region. For example, in the Aktobe region, in January-July 2026, ritual services became 20% more expensive. While in the Abai, Akmola, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, and Ulytau regions, as well as in Astana, prices did not change.
According to industry reviews of Kazakhstani media, this year in the country's major cities, the cost of a standard funeral ceremony reached from 250 thousand to 600 thousand tenge. In some cases, expenses may be even higher.