There is no universal salary that would allow Kazakhstanis to live comfortably while also saving for a home. An income sufficient for one person may not cover the usual expenses of another. This opinion was expressed in an interview with Kursiv by Kazakh financier, qualified auditor and professional accountant Sultan Yelemesov, according to infohub.kz.

According to the expert, ideas about the necessary level of earnings largely depend on established consumer habits. He explained this by a phenomenon known in psychology as hedonic adaptation.

"We get used to good things very quickly and to bad things very slowly. And because of this adaptation, everyone has their own norm. Whatever level of consumption a person is at, that will be their minimum. Therefore, even a significant difference in earnings does not always mean that a person with a higher income is able to save more," he said.

Yelemesov gave an example: one person may need 100,000 tenge a month for a quality life if they do not have to pay rent or other major obligatory expenses. Another may find 2 million tenge insufficient, since their consumption already corresponds to a higher income level.

The financier believes that instead of searching for a specific salary amount, one should first understand their own needs and financial goals. For example, if a person plans to save for a down payment on a mortgage, it is important to consider not only current expenses but also how their income is generated.

The expert suggests paying attention to the ratio of earnings from the main job and additional sources of income. According to Yelemesov, it is desirable to strive for passive or semi-passive income to cover at least 20% of monthly expenses.

The financier considers such a guideline more useful than trying to determine a single amount needed by every resident of the capital. The size of a comfortable income remains individual and depends on obligatory payments, the usual level of consumption and the goals set.

Earlier, Yelemesov named the main mistake Kazakhstanis make when saving money.