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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Bishkek costs about 21% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 KGS 537

$9.84 ₸4,689

-37.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.32 KGS 1,864

$39.52 ₸18.8K

-46.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 KGS 499

$8.85 ₸4,217

-35.48%

Cappuccino

$2.01 KGS 175

$2.21 ₸1,052

-9.05%

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

$0.68 KGS 59.8

$0.51 ₸243

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KGS 30.79

$0.40 ₸193

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 KGS 103

$1.20 ₸571

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$1.33 ₸634

26.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 KGS 83.1

$1.20 ₸571

-20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.73

$0.38 ₸182

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 135

$1.61 ₸769

-3.73%

Eggs

$1.80 KGS 157

$1.44 ₸685

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$8.91 ₸4,245

-9.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 KGS 423

$3.95 ₸1,881

22.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 KGS 691

$7.52 ₸3,582

5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 KGS 93.9

$1.34 ₸639

-20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 KGS 162

$2.09 ₸995

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$2.14 ₸1,020

-2.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 KGS 154

$2.46 ₸1,174

-28.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 KGS 51.0

$0.56 ₸265

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 KGS 42.93

$0.47 ₸224

4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 51.5

$1.29 ₸615

-54.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.39

$0.87 ₸415

-45.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.75 KGS 153

$2.38 ₸1,136

-26.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 KGS 700

$8.78 ₸4,184

-8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 KGS 105

$0.67 ₸320

80.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 KGS 172

$0.81 ₸387

143.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.14

$0.15 ₸73.3

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 KGS 1,006

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 KGS 116

$0.97 ₸460

37.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 KGS 19.22

$0.62 ₸297

-64.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 KGS 302

$4.75 ₸2,262

-27.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 KGS 69.8

$0.46 ₸221

73.91%

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

$37.0K KGS 3.2M

$20.3K ₸9.7M

82.11%

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

$34.5K KGS 3.0M

$25.0K ₸11.9M

37.96%

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

$33.77 KGS 2,952

$40.64 ₸19.4K

-16.90%

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

$6.72 KGS 587

$7.71 ₸3,673

-12.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.89 KGS 1,039

$9.29 ₸4,425

27.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 KGS 3,678

$31.69 ₸15.1K

32.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.98 KGS 1,397

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 KGS 391

$2.79 ₸1,328

60.22%

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

$198 KGS 17.3K

$129 ₸61.6K

53.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,596 KGS 401.8K

$2,385 ₸1.1M

92.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.96 KGS 3,319

$58.4 ₸27.8K

-34.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.57 KGS 3,460

$35.67 ₸17.0K

10.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 KGS 8,117

$62.5 ₸29.8K

48.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,941

$79.7 ₸38.0K

28.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 KGS 43.2K

$253 ₸120.7K

95.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 KGS 32.2K

$177 ₸84.5K

107.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 KGS 79.1K

$445 ₸211.8K

103.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 KGS 55.7K

$367 ₸174.7K

73.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,750 KGS 153.0K

$755 ₸359.8K

131.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,196 KGS 104.6K

$609 ₸290.1K

96.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$538 ₸256.2K

-8.86%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Aktau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 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 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 $21.00 in Bishkek versus $40.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $178 – 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 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 $1,300 per month in Bishkek and $1,071 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 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 $867 in Bishkek and $714 in Aktau, 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.