Kazakhstan residents face both outrageous internet access costs as well as restrictions on their online publishing freedoms, reports Ars Technica.

Just getting online can cost between $111 and $22,000 a month, depending on the desired connection speed, and not including hardware.

The average monthly wage in Kazakhstan is just $399. That means large swaths of the population is cut off from the online world completely.

Those who do find their way on the 'net face a number of hurdles and restrictions in what they can publish. Kazakhstan laws prohibit anyone from publishing anything disrespectful regarding the government or its rulers. Several people, including mere fans of certain sites, have been thrown in jail on charges of threatening national security.

The government often slows down the loading speed of pages it finds offensive to discourage visitors.

The report on these findings, as well as others, were included in calls on the nation's government to stop filtering content and open more affordable levels of access.