🏢 Commercial Real Estate: Street Retail and "Flexible" Offices
The commercial sector is traditionally considered more profitable but requires a higher entry threshold and a deep understanding of traffic.
The hottest direction in 2026 has become street retail on the first floors of new residential complexes in the area of the new mosque and Turan Avenue. Demand for premises for coffee shops, pharmacies, and pick-up points (PZOs) exceeds supply.
Office Spaces
In the post-pandemic era of 2026, Astana is seeing a shortage of small B+ class offices (20-50 sq.m). Large corporations are moving away from giant Open Spaces towards distributed teams, making small office spaces a liquid asset.
How to Calculate the Yield of Real Estate Investments
Example ROI Calculation for an Apartment in Astana
Calculation: (2,160,000 - 450,000) / 25,000,000 × 100% = 6.8% net yield
📊 Comparative Yield Analysis of Rental Real Estate (ROI) in 2026
| Parameter | Residential (1-room RC) | Commercial (Street Retail) | Office (Class B+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Threshold | Medium (from 18M ₸) | High (from 45M ₸) | Medium (from 25M ₸) |
| Average Yield | 6–9% per annum | 10–14% per annum | 9–11% per annum |
| Vacancy Risk | Low (demand is always there) | Medium (depends on traffic) | High (depends on economy) |
| Payback Period | 11–14 years | 7–9 years | 9–10 years |
Rental Business in Astana 2026: Residential vs Commercial Real Estate — Where is the higher yield?
By 2026, the rental market in Astana has transformed: migration growth and the development of business hubs on the Left Bank (Nura district and EXPO territory) have formed a stable demand for high-quality space. An investor faces a classic question: invest capital in "understandable" apartments or take a risk by entering the commercial segment?
As a financial analyst, I have analyzed data for both segments over the last quarter, and the results show that the "just buy and rent" strategy no longer works. Precise calculation of ROI (return on investment) is needed.
Long-Term vs Short-Term: an Honest Comparison
| Parameter | Long-term rental | Short-term rental |
|---|---|---|
| Net yield | 6–8% per annum | 10–14% at 70%+ occupancy |
| Owner's time | 5–10 hours/month | Daily operations or a 15–25% management fee |
| Wear and renovation | Cosmetic every 3–5 years | Refresh every 1–2 years |
| Vacancy risk | 2–4 weeks a year | Seasonal dips to 40% occupancy |
| Best locations | Residential areas near jobs/transit | Center, business clusters, near EXPO |
Short-term is a micro-hotel: it wins on paper only with systematic occupancy driven by business travel. The hybrid — handing the unit to an apart-hotel operator — is covered in our piece on apart-hotels and trust management.
How to Raise a Regular Apartment's Yield
- Turnkey furniture and appliances — a fully equipped unit rents 15–25% higher; the 1.5–2.5 mln ₸ outlay pays back in 2–3 years of rate premium.
- Neutral fresh renovation — light walls and a clean bathroom cut vacancy better than discounts: a «move in today» unit goes in a week.
- Match the location's audience — near business clusters, «business-format» one-bedrooms for expats price 20–30% higher; near universities — compact studios; district profiles in the district review.
- Contract and deposit — a written agreement with an inventory and a one-month deposit is not bureaucracy, it is your repair-and-vacancy insurance.
Formalizing Income: Individual or IE
Two legal regimes: declare rental income as an individual at 10% PIT — or register an individual entrepreneur on the simplified regime at 3% of revenue plus mandatory social payments. The IE break-even is roughly 200 thousand ₸ of monthly rent or two-plus units: below that, fixed contributions eat the rate advantage. Forms and deadlines at kgd.gov.kz; the detailed comparison is in our tax guide.
FAQ: Rental Business in Astana
Which apartment rents best in Astana?
A 35–45 m² one-bedroom in comfort class near transit and business centers — the most liquid format: maximum demand, minimal vacancy, the best purchase-price-to-rent ratio. Two-bedrooms rent higher but wait longer for tenants.
How much does a one-bedroom rent for in Astana in 2026?
The spread is wide: 140–180 thousand ₸/month in right-bank residential areas, 180–250 thousand in Left Bank comfort class, 250–300+ thousand for business-format units near office clusters. Check live listings for your exact location — the market moves.
What if the tenant stops paying?
The algorithm: a written claim under the contract, offsetting the deposit, termination and eviction — with a written agreement the process takes weeks; without one, months. That is why a contract with an inventory and deposit is mandatory even when renting «to friends».
Current rental rates by district are refreshed in our monthly digest.
📝 Summary: What Should an Investor Choose?
If your goal is "capital preservation" and minimal hassle, your choice in 2026 is residential real estate in the EXPO area or along the new LRT line. If you are aimed at "maximum cash flow" and are ready for a long search for a tenant — invest in street retail in actively developing micro-districts of the Left Bank.
Remember that in commercial real estate, "technical features" are critically important: power grid capacity, availability of exhaustion, and the number of entrance groups. In residential — "visual code" and proximity to social facilities.
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