Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Belem versus $901 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Belem versus $1,378 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,724 in Belem versus $1,855 in Bishkek.

Living in Belem costs roughly 13% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 41% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.66

$6.44 KGS 563

-31.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.89 R$148

$21.10 KGS 1,844

36.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 R$32.02

$5.69 KGS 498

10.02%

Cappuccino

$1.60 R$8.16

$2.07 KGS 181

-22.71%

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

$0.93 R$4.73

$0.63 KGS 55.4

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.38

$0.36 KGS 31.14

30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.22 KGS 106

31.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 R$17.93

$1.71 KGS 149

105.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.90

$0.96 KGS 84.3

19.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 R$10.79

$0.50 KGS 43.37

322.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.36

$1.57 KGS 137

-20.38%

Eggs

$1.98 R$10.11

$1.73 KGS 152

14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 R$52.7

$8.20 KGS 717

25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 R$20.18

$4.84 KGS 423

-18.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.28

$7.93 KGS 693

-15.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 R$8.74

$1.12 KGS 98.1

52.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.83

$1.94 KGS 170

-10.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$2.11 KGS 185

-38.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.72 KGS 150

-15.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.72

$0.55 KGS 48.44

67.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 R$2.81

$0.50 KGS 43.48

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R$5.27

$0.55 KGS 48.27

87.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.88

$0.47 KGS 41.53

187.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.74

$1.76 KGS 154

41.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 R$50.5

$8.18 KGS 715

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.70

$1.15 KGS 100

13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 R$23.32

$1.89 KGS 166

141.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 R$3.80

$0.22 KGS 19.21

236.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.48 R$110

$11.45 KGS 1,001

87.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.67

$1.41 KGS 123

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.24 KGS 21.00

208.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 R$45.17

$3.34 KGS 292

164.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.30

$0.85 KGS 74.5

22.35%

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

$16.1K R$82.3K

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

-56.72%

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

$29.0K R$148.0K

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

-13.69%

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

$111 R$568

$34.63 KGS 3,027

220.91%

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

$14.53 R$74.3

$6.76 KGS 591

114.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.28 R$109

$11.94 KGS 1,044

78.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.25 R$109

$42.67 KGS 3,730

-50.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 R$110

$15.96 KGS 1,395

35.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 R$31.76

$4.49 KGS 393

38.31%

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

$101 R$514

$200 KGS 17.5K

-49.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,082 R$15.8K

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

-32.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 R$169

$37.74 KGS 3,300

-12.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 R$148

$40.29 KGS 3,522

-28.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 R$387

$96.0 KGS 8,395

-21.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.88 R$214

$104 KGS 9,128

-59.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 R$2,225

$498 KGS 43.5K

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R$962

$370 KGS 32.4K

-49.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 R$4,091

$922 KGS 80.6K

-13.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 R$2,382

$633 KGS 55.3K

-26.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,951 R$9,973

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

9.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,369 R$6,995

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

16.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 R$2,091

$490 KGS 42.9K

-16.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.2

20.2

-39.60%

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

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Belem and $498 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Belem vs $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $171 per month, with Bishkek cheaper across the board.

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

Belem vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Bishkek. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $435 in Belem versus $498 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 88% less than in Bishkek. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $101 in Belem versus $200 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $783 in Belem versus $901 in Bishkek, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Belem but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Belem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belem is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bishkek, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Belem and Bishkek are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.