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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $886 per month in Bishkek vs $716 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,355 per month in Bishkek vs $1,187 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,825 per month in Bishkek vs $1,657 in Aktau, rent included.

Bishkek costs about 24% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bishkek and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Bishkek 34% lower, Aktau 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.39 KGS 558

$10.02 ₸4,892

-36.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.07 KGS 1,842

$39.56 ₸19.3K

-46.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 KGS 504

$8.90 ₸4,348

-35.17%

Cappuccino

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.26 ₸1,103

-11.06%

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

$0.64 KGS 56.3

$0.55 ₸271

16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KGS 28.30

$0.44 ₸215

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 102

$1.20 ₸585

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$1.34 ₸656

25.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KGS 77.9

$1.20 ₸585

-25.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KGS 40.17

$0.39 ₸189

17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KGS 140

$1.71 ₸833

-6.43%

Eggs

$1.79 KGS 156

$1.44 ₸701

24.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 KGS 690

$8.88 ₸4,336

-11.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 KGS 438

$3.90 ₸1,902

28.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 KGS 671

$7.60 ₸3,713

0.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 KGS 92.6

$1.34 ₸655

-20.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.99 ₸972

-2.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.10 ₸1,026

-4.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 KGS 152

$2.44 ₸1,190

-28.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.7

$0.58 ₸286

1.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 KGS 42.77

$0.51 ₸247

-3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 51.4

$1.29 ₸631

-54.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KGS 41.72

$0.85 ₸417

-43.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 KGS 149

$2.41 ₸1,178

-29.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 KGS 687

$8.97 ₸4,382

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 KGS 106

$0.65 ₸316

86.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 KGS 171

$0.77 ₸377

154.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.20

$0.13 ₸62.1

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 KGS 1,014

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 KGS 121

$0.93 ₸456

48.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 KGS 19.10

$0.62 ₸301

-64.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 309

$4.62 ₸2,256

-23.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.1

$0.50 ₸244

70.00%

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

$38.3K KGS 3.3M

$20.3K ₸9.9M

88.76%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$24.7K ₸12.1M

38.61%

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

$33.53 KGS 2,931

$40.96 ₸20.0K

-18.14%

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

$6.94 KGS 607

$7.78 ₸3,801

-10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.95 KGS 1,045

$9.42 ₸4,601

26.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 KGS 3,722

$32.76 ₸16.0K

29.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 KGS 1,394

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 KGS 399

$2.82 ₸1,376

61.70%

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

$201 KGS 17.6K

$125 ₸60.9K

61.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,559 KGS 398.6K

$2,306 ₸1.1M

97.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.62 KGS 3,202

$58.6 ₸28.6K

-37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 KGS 3,482

$34.88 ₸17.0K

14.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,284

$63.8 ₸31.1K

48.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,922

$77.3 ₸37.8K

32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 KGS 42.3K

$253 ₸123.6K

91.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 KGS 31.9K

$181 ₸88.5K

101.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 KGS 79.6K

$448 ₸219.0K

103.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 KGS 55.6K

$362 ₸176.7K

75.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,651 KGS 144.4K

$775 ₸378.3K

113.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 KGS 101.0K

$620 ₸302.8K

86.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 KGS 42.0K

$521 ₸254.5K

-7.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

152.50%

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

Last update for Bishkek: June 8, 2026

Last update for Aktau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Bishkek versus $253 in Aktau. 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 8% 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 $21.00 in Bishkek versus $40.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $177 – 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

Bishkek vs Aktau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek costs about 24% 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 $1,328 per month in Bishkek and $1,075 in Aktau. 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 $21.00 in Bishkek and $40.00 in Aktau. 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aktau, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Bishkek at $886. In Aktau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bishkek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $716 versus $886 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.