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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $714 per month in Aktau vs $867 in Bishkek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Aktau vs $1,344 in Bishkek, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,655 per month in Aktau vs $1,822 in Bishkek, rent included.

Aktau is about 18% cheaper than Bishkek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Aktau and Bishkek are more affordable than the global median – Aktau 46% lower, Bishkek 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 ₸4,666

$6.14 KGS 537

60.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.52 ₸18.7K

$21.32 KGS 1,864

85.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 ₸4,197

$5.71 KGS 499

54.99%

Cappuccino

$2.21 ₸1,047

$2.01 KGS 175

9.95%

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

$0.51 ₸242

$0.68 KGS 59.8

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₸192

$0.35 KGS 30.79

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₸569

$1.18 KGS 103

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₸631

$1.68 KGS 147

-20.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₸568

$0.95 KGS 83.1

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 ₸181

$0.50 KGS 43.73

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ₸765

$1.55 KGS 135

3.87%

Eggs

$1.44 ₸682

$1.80 KGS 157

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 ₸4,225

$8.08 KGS 707

10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ₸1,872

$4.83 KGS 423

-18.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 ₸3,565

$7.90 KGS 691

-4.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₸636

$1.07 KGS 93.9

25.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ₸991

$1.85 KGS 162

12.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ₸1,015

$2.09 KGS 183

2.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 ₸1,168

$1.76 KGS 154

39.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₸263

$0.58 KGS 51.0

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₸222

$0.49 KGS 42.93

-4.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ₸612

$0.59 KGS 51.5

118.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ₸413

$0.47 KGS 41.39

85.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 ₸1,130

$1.75 KGS 153

36.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 ₸4,164

$8.01 KGS 700

9.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₸318

$1.21 KGS 105

-44.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₸385

$1.97 KGS 172

-58.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 ₸72.9

$0.22 KGS 19.14

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 KGS 1,006

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 ₸458

$1.33 KGS 116

-27.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₸295

$0.22 KGS 19.22

181.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.75 ₸2,251

$3.45 KGS 302

37.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸220

$0.80 KGS 69.8

-42.50%

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

$20.3K ₸9.6M

$37.0K KGS 3.2M

-45.09%

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

$25.0K ₸11.9M

$34.5K KGS 3.0M

-27.52%

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

$40.64 ₸19.3K

$33.77 KGS 2,952

20.34%

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

$7.71 ₸3,656

$6.72 KGS 587

14.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.29 ₸4,404

$11.89 KGS 1,039

-21.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.69 ₸15.0K

$42.07 KGS 3,678

-24.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.98 KGS 1,397

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 ₸1,322

$4.47 KGS 391

-37.58%

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

$129 ₸61.3K

$198 KGS 17.3K

-34.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,385 ₸1.1M

$4,596 KGS 401.8K

-48.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ₸27.7K

$37.96 KGS 3,319

53.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.67 ₸16.9K

$39.57 KGS 3,460

-9.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 ₸29.6K

$92.9 KGS 8,117

-32.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ₸37.8K

$102 KGS 8,941

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₸120.1K

$494 KGS 43.2K

-48.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₸84.1K

$368 KGS 32.2K

-51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₸210.8K

$904 KGS 79.1K

-50.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 ₸173.9K

$637 KGS 55.7K

-42.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$755 ₸358.1K

$1,750 KGS 153.0K

-56.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$609 ₸288.7K

$1,196 KGS 104.6K

-49.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$538 ₸255.0K

$490 KGS 42.9K

9.72%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $253 in Aktau versus $494 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 10% 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 $40.00 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 21% 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 $1,071 per month in Aktau and $1,300 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 $40.00 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 4% 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 $714 in Aktau and $867 in Bishkek, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $714 versus $867 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.