Kazakhstan survey: 34.7% cannot cover funeral costs without debt; market grows 3.5-fold

August 20, 2026 at 09:52 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan's Bureau of National Statistics reported that 34.7% of citizens could not conduct funeral rites without debt or credit in 2026. The ritual services market grew 3.5-fold to 22.2 billion tenge in 2025 from 6.4 billion tenge in 2024. Pensioners were the most vulnerable group, with 41.2% saying they could not pay for a funeral without borrowing.

Key Facts

In 2026, 34.7% of Kazakhs said they could not hold a funeral without debt or credit, according to the Bureau of National Statistics survey.
Among pensioners, 41.2% said they could not bury a relative without debt, the highest of any age group and more than 6 percentage points above the sample average.
Kazakhstan's ritual services market grew 3.5-fold to 22.2 billion tenge in 2025, from 6.4 billion tenge in 2024.
Funeral bureaus took in 7.4 billion tenge, almost double the previous year, while burial and cremation reached 14.8 billion tenge, a 5.6-fold increase.
Ordinary funerals in large cities cost 250,000–600,000 tenge, and ritual service prices rose 6.6% since the start of the year, including 20% in Aktobe region.

Survey Findings

The Bureau of National Statistics found in its 2026 quality-of-life survey that 34.7% of citizens could not conduct funeral rites without debt or credit. The share has stayed close to this level since 2023, with 63–66% able to pay without borrowing and 34–37% unable. Pensioners were the most vulnerable group: 41.2% said they could not bury a close relative without debt, more than 6 percentage points above the all-ages average. Only 58.8% of pensioners said they could cover such costs without loans. Respondents aged 29–38 were the most confident, with 71.5% saying they could pay without debt, while 27.8–28.5% in that group still said they could not manage without debt.

Ritual Services Market

Kazakhstan's ritual services market grew 3.5-fold in a year, from 6.4 billion tenge in 2024 to 22.2 billion tenge in 2025. Funeral bureaus collected 7.4 billion tenge, nearly double the prior year, while burial and cremation services reached 14.8 billion tenge, a 5.6-fold increase. Analysts said the jumps in 2022 and 2025 were not accompanied by higher mortality and point to a partial exit of ritual-service providers from the shadow economy. Actual household spending is higher than the official figure because the statistics exclude coffins, clothing, carpets and funeral meals.

Cost Benchmarks

Ordinary funerals in large Kazakh cities cost about 250,000–600,000 tenge, according to industry reviews cited by Ranking.kz. Industry reviews note that large guest counts and additional expenses push totals beyond 600,000 tenge. Ritual service prices rose 6.6% since the start of 2026, with Aktobe region up 20%.