Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktau and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktau and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Aktau vs $889 in Bishkek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in Aktau vs $1,368 in Bishkek, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,619 per month in Aktau vs $1,847 in Bishkek, rent included.

Aktau is about 21% cheaper than Bishkek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Aktau and Bishkek are more affordable than the global median – Aktau 48% lower, Bishkek 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.63 ₸4,455

$6.46 KGS 566

49.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.39 ₸17.7K

$21.00 KGS 1,838

82.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ₸4,085

$5.59 KGS 489

58.14%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₸1,048

$2.01 KGS 176

12.94%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₸257

$0.68 KGS 59.8

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₸200

$0.33 KGS 28.56

30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ₸551

$1.16 KGS 101

2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₸639

$1.67 KGS 146

-17.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₸557

$0.96 KGS 83.7

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 ₸179

$0.46 KGS 40.11

-15.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ₸782

$1.57 KGS 138

7.64%

Eggs

$1.37 ₸631

$1.73 KGS 151

-20.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 ₸4,117

$7.91 KGS 692

12.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₸1,800

$4.94 KGS 432

-21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 ₸3,634

$7.97 KGS 698

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 ₸597

$1.10 KGS 96.5

17.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₸916

$1.93 KGS 169

2.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ₸991

$2.01 KGS 176

6.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 ₸1,166

$1.69 KGS 148

49.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₸268

$0.54 KGS 47.41

7.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₸236

$0.49 KGS 42.60

4.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ₸626

$0.60 KGS 52.1

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₸376

$0.47 KGS 41.25

72.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 ₸1,108

$1.77 KGS 155

35.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 ₸4,179

$8.06 KGS 705

12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₸290

$1.16 KGS 102

-45.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₸352

$1.90 KGS 166

-60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₸66.8

$0.22 KGS 19.25

-36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 KGS 1,026

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₸475

$1.40 KGS 123

-26.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₸271

$0.24 KGS 21.12

145.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 ₸2,206

$3.37 KGS 295

41.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 ₸215

$0.85 KGS 74.1

-44.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.5K ₸9.5M

$38.4K KGS 3.4M

-46.78%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.5K ₸11.3M

$34.3K KGS 3.0M

-28.66%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$39.58 ₸18.3K

$34.11 KGS 2,985

16.04%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$7.58 ₸3,505

$6.92 KGS 606

9.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.75 ₸4,507

$11.63 KGS 1,017

-16.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.97 ₸14.8K

$41.99 KGS 3,675

-23.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.56 KGS 1,362

Cinema Ticket

$2.69 ₸1,242

$4.48 KGS 392

-39.96%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$128 ₸59.1K

$197 KGS 17.3K

-35.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,304 ₸1.1M

$4,484 KGS 392.5K

-48.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ₸27.0K

$37.79 KGS 3,307

54.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 ₸16.0K

$39.30 KGS 3,440

-11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 ₸30.0K

$95.7 KGS 8,378

-32.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ₸36.8K

$103 KGS 9,051

-22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ₸116.3K

$501 KGS 43.9K

-49.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₸82.7K

$367 KGS 32.1K

-51.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₸206.2K

$899 KGS 78.7K

-50.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₸172.2K

$618 KGS 54.1K

-39.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$779 ₸360.2K

$1,609 KGS 140.8K

-51.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$617 ₸285.3K

$1,157 KGS 101.3K

-46.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 ₸253.2K

$461 KGS 40.3K

18.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-60.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aktau: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Aktau versus $501 in Bishkek. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Aktau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Aktau versus $21.00 in Bishkek. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $170 – making Bishkek the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aktau vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek costs about 27% more than Aktau, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,052 per month in Aktau and $1,333 in Bishkek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Aktau and $21.00 in Bishkek. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Bishkek – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $702 in Aktau and $889 in Bishkek, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $702 versus $889 in Bishkek. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aktau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bishkek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.