Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Belem and in Bishkek actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Belem versus $980 in Bishkek.
Belem $945
Bishkek $980
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,433 in Belem versus $1,503 in Bishkek.
Belem $1,433
Bishkek $1,503
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,921 in Belem versus $2,026 in Bishkek.
Belem $1,921
Bishkek $2,026
🌍
Living in Belem costs roughly 4% less than in Bishkek, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Belem30% lower, Bishkek27% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.15R$26.09
$7.02KGS 614
-26.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.65R$99.6
$28.73KGS 2,513
-31.60%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.01R$35.51
$5.73KGS 501
22.34%
Cappuccino
$1.96R$9.91
$2.40KGS 210
-18.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06R$5.37
$0.75KGS 66.0
41.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52R$2.62
$0.40KGS 35.19
30.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.58R$8.03
$1.41KGS 123
12.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46R$12.45
$1.89KGS 165
30.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.34R$6.78
$1.03KGS 90.1
30.10%
White Bread(500g)
$2.56R$12.99
$0.38KGS 33.63
573.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.37R$6.95
$1.64KGS 144
-16.46%
Eggs
$2.26R$11.44
$1.77KGS 155
27.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.54R$48.38
$7.70KGS 674
23.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.41R$22.37
$4.51KGS 395
-2.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.49R$37.99
$9.00KGS 787
-16.78%
Apples(1kg)
$2.43R$12.30
$1.36KGS 119
78.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.37R$6.96
$1.88KGS 165
-27.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.51R$7.63
$2.01KGS 176
-24.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.65R$8.39
$1.53KGS 134
7.84%
Potato(1kg)
$1.05R$5.34
$0.58KGS 50.8
81.03%
Onion(1kg)
$0.63R$3.17
$0.48KGS 41.74
31.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.37R$6.96
$0.70KGS 61.3
95.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42R$7.22
$0.61KGS 53.8
132.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.79R$14.13
$2.02KGS 177
38.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.87R$50.0
$9.18KGS 803
7.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44R$7.29
$1.42KGS 124
1.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.91R$24.90
$2.01KGS 176
144.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88R$4.44
$0.22KGS 19.13
300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.52R$175
$11.78KGS 1,031
193.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.21R$6.13
$0.87KGS 76.4
39.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.21R$6.15
$0.47KGS 41.44
157.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.48R$42.98
$5.65KGS 495
50.09%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27R$6.41
$1.02KGS 89.4
24.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8KR$120.7K
$30.0KKGS 2.6M
-20.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4KR$164.2K
$33.6KKGS 2.9M
-3.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$98.2R$498
$50.2KGS 4,393
95.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.49R$58.3
$5.62KGS 491
104.45%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.88R$162
$11.77KGS 1,030
170.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.12R$112
$55.0KGS 4,814
-59.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$39.81R$202
$14.87KGS 1,301
167.72%
Cinema Ticket
$8.04R$40.73
$5.68KGS 497
41.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$115R$582
$222KGS 19.4K
-48.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,456R$17.5K
$7,839KGS 685.8K
-55.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.60R$165
$55.4KGS 4,843
-41.11%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.86R$232
$42.81KGS 3,745
7.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.5R$418
$89.6KGS 7,842
-7.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.6R$332
$91.8KGS 8,031
-28.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$538R$2,730
$612KGS 53.5K
-12.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$288R$1,458
$410KGS 35.8K
-29.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$882R$4,469
$1,041KGS 91.1K
-15.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$523R$2,650
$708KGS 62.0K
-26.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,022R$10.2K
$1,803KGS 157.8K
12.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,434R$7,271
$1,224KGS 107.0K
17.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belem
Bishkek
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$424R$2,151
$514KGS 45.0K
-17.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.48
20.1
-42.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Belem: October 11, 2026
Last update for Bishkek: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Belem
$288 30.5%
Bishkek
$410 41.8% ↑ 42.5%$122
🛒Groceries & Markets
Belem
$225 23.8%
Bishkek
$177 18% ↓ 21.6%$49
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belem
$142 15%
Bishkek
$68 6.9% ↓ 52.3%$74
🍽Eating Out
Belem
$105 11.1%
Bishkek
$118 12% ↑ 12.2%$13
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Belem
$102 10.8%
Bishkek
$126 12.8% ↑ 23.4%$24
🚌Getting Around
Belem
$45 4.8%
Bishkek
$16 1.6% ↓ 64.9%$29
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Belem
$38 4%
Bishkek
$66 6.8% ↑ 73.8%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Belem
$523 27.2%
Bishkek
$708 35% ↑ 35.5%$186
🛒Groceries & Markets
Belem
$505 26.3%
Bishkek
$403 19.9% ↓ 20.2%$102
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belem
$153 8%
Bishkek
$73 3.6% ↓ 52.2%$80
🍽Eating Out
Belem
$305 15.9%
Bishkek
$382 18.9% ↑ 25.3%$77
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Belem
$226 11.8%
Bishkek
$280 13.8% ↑ 23.4%$53
🚌Getting Around
Belem
$92 4.8%
Bishkek
$32 1.6% ↓ 65.1%$60
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Belem
$116 6.1%
Bishkek
$148 7.3% ↑ 27.1%$31
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $538 in Belem and $612 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bishkek pays 21% 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: $20.00 in Belem vs $29.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $177, with Bishkek cheaper for home cooking.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Is Bishkek cheaper than Belem?
Belem is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Belem or Bishkek?
On paper, salaries run 21% 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.
What is the rent difference between Belem and Bishkek?
Rent for a central apartment: $538 in Belem versus $612 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 193% less than in Bishkek. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $115 in Belem versus $222 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Belem or in Bishkek?
At $945 in Belem versus $980 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.
Is Belem or Bishkek more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Belem or Bishkek?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.