Network Kazakhstan
Qualitative market research agency in Kazakhstan
MindMarket is a market research agency that runs qualitative studies in Kazakhstan, from in-depth interviews and focus groups to UX research and mystery shopping, with moderators who live in the country and one project manager for your whole study. Kazakhstan has a population of 20.9 million and a median age of 29.7, and 93.4 per cent of residents are online (DataReportal, Digital 2026). It is the ninth-largest country in the world by area, with three cities of more than a million people, Almaty, Astana and Shymkent, each a flight away from the others. Sessions run in Kazakh or in Russian, and the choice of language changes from one region to the next.
AT A GLANCE
Kazakhstan at a glance for researchers
- Population. 20.9 million people, median age 29.7, 58.7 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Almaty, in the south-east, is the largest city and the commercial centre. Astana, the capital, lies in the northern steppe, and Shymkent in the south. Karaganda, Aktobe and the oil cities of Atyrau and Aktau follow. A flight from Almaty to Astana takes under two hours.
- Languages. Kazakh is the state language and Russian is used alongside it in business and daily life. The south and west speak more Kazakh, the north and Almaty more Russian, and each participant chooses. Our moderators live in Kazakhstan and work in both.
- Internet and mobile. 19.5 million people use the internet, 93.4 per cent of the population, and there are 27.3 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Median download speeds reach 91.74 Mbps on mobile and 81.65 Mbps on fixed lines (same source). Social media counts 16.9 million user identities, 80.8 per cent of the population, with Instagram at 13.1 million.
- Where fieldwork happens. Almaty first, then Astana and Shymkent. Karaganda, Aktobe or Atyrau are added when the decision is national. Cities are linked by air, and smaller towns are reached online.
- Data protection. Law No. 94-V of 21 May 2013 on personal data and its protection applies. Nothing is recorded until the participant has heard what it is for and has agreed.
- Timing. Fieldwork is never booked during Ramadan. Nauryz, from 21 to 23 March, is the main spring holiday, and 16 December is Independence Day. Orthodox Christmas on 7 January and Kurban Ait are public holidays. Winter in Astana and the north is severe, so in-person sessions there have an online fallback. The whole country has kept one time zone since March 2024.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Kazakhstan?
In Kazakhstan, one app sits between the buyer and the shop. People pay, transfer money, buy on instalments and order from a marketplace inside the same banking app, and a product that is missing there is missing for many shoppers. A study in Kazakhstan tests the purchase inside the apps people already use. Cash on delivery and bazaars still matter outside the big cities.
- Test where people pay. Usability sessions run on the participant's own phone, with the payment and marketplace apps installed on it. We follow one real purchase from search to delivery, instalments included. Screenshots are shared only with the participant's agreement.
- Kazakh and Russian. The screener asks which language each participant prefers. Groups run in one language at a time, with a native-speaking moderator, and stimulus is prepared in both for a national launch.
- Three cities, by air. Almaty, Astana and Shymkent differ in income, language and retail. Each is recruited and moderated by people who live there, and your team follows by video from one place. Atyrau and Aktau are added for studies about the energy workforce.
- City and aul. Four people in ten live outside cities. Rural households are reached by phone or from the nearest town when the product is sold in villages, and reported apart from the cities. Online interviews reach villages with a mobile signal.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Kazakhstan?
- We recruit through local partners in Almaty, Astana and Shymkent, by city, language, age, income and category use. A reminder call goes out to every participant the day before, and quotas are agreed with you before recruitment starts. Participants in other regions are recruited for online sessions.
- Professionals in banking, energy and retail are approached directly, and their role is checked before the interview is booked. People who join studies regularly are kept out of consumer groups. English is used with international staff in the energy sector.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Kazakhstan?
Most studies in Kazakhstan run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with UX research, mystery shopping or shop-alongs when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-depth interviews | Finance, energy, telecoms and B2B audiences, by video or in person | One language used for every region |
| Focus groups | Advertising, concepts and food and drink ideas in Almaty, Astana and Shymkent | An Almaty group read as the whole country |
| UX research | Banking, marketplace and delivery apps on the participant's own phone | A prototype tested outside the app people use to pay |
| Mystery shopping | Retail chains, car showrooms, telecom shops and bank branches | Winter visits in the north planned without spare days |
| Shop-alongs | Bazaars, supermarkets and shopping centres | The days before Nauryz, when baskets are festive |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Kazakhstan
How much does market research cost in Kazakhstan?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Kazakhstan added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. A second and third city, reached by air, and a second language move the price more than extra sessions in Almaty. Every quote is itemised and follows within 48 hours of a first call. Estimate your study.
How do I choose a market research agency in Kazakhstan?
Choose by what the study has to decide. A Kazakh polling company fits a national survey or a retail audit. A qualitative specialist such as MindMarket fits a brand from outside Kazakhstan that needs local people heard in their own language, by moderators who live there, with one team across every country. Read how to choose a global qualitative research agency.
Should research in Kazakhstan run in Kazakh or in Russian?
In Kazakhstan, every participant picks the language of their session. Kazakh is more common in the south and west and among younger people, Russian in the north and in much of Almaty. We ask at recruitment, hold each group in one language and report both. Mixed groups are avoided, because one language then dominates the room.
Which cities should a study in Kazakhstan cover?
Almaty covers the largest and best-paid market in Kazakhstan. For a national decision, add Astana, the capital, and Shymkent, which is younger and more Kazakh-speaking. The three are a flight apart, so each has its own recruiter and moderator. One project manager runs all three.
Can research in Kazakhstan be run online?
Research in Kazakhstan can be run online with most audiences: 93.4 per cent of people use the internet, and distances make video practical. In-person sessions are kept for shop-alongs, home visits and usability tests where the moderator needs to see the phone in the participant's hand.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Kazakhstan told us into a recommendation: what to do, what not to do, and why. We form the hypotheses, test them with your customers and recommend from their words. If you already work with strategy consultants, we work alongside them.
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