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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $889 per month in Bishkek vs $702 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Bishkek vs $1,160 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,847 per month in Bishkek vs $1,619 in Aktau, rent included.

Bishkek costs about 27% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bishkek and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Bishkek 34% lower, Aktau 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 KGS 566

$9.63 ₸4,455

-32.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.00 KGS 1,838

$38.39 ₸17.7K

-45.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 KGS 489

$8.84 ₸4,085

-36.76%

Cappuccino

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.27 ₸1,048

-11.45%

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

$0.68 KGS 59.8

$0.56 ₸257

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.56

$0.43 ₸200

-23.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 KGS 101

$1.19 ₸551

-2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 KGS 146

$1.38 ₸639

21.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.7

$1.20 ₸557

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KGS 40.11

$0.39 ₸179

17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 138

$1.69 ₸782

-7.10%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.37 ₸631

26.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 KGS 692

$8.90 ₸4,117

-11.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$3.89 ₸1,800

26.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 KGS 698

$7.86 ₸3,634

1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 KGS 96.5

$1.29 ₸597

-14.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 KGS 169

$1.98 ₸916

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.14 ₸991

-6.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 KGS 148

$2.52 ₸1,166

-32.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 KGS 47.41

$0.58 ₸268

-6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 KGS 42.60

$0.51 ₸236

-3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KGS 52.1

$1.35 ₸626

-55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.25

$0.81 ₸376

-41.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 KGS 155

$2.40 ₸1,108

-26.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 KGS 705

$9.04 ₸4,179

-10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 KGS 102

$0.63 ₸290

84.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 166

$0.76 ₸352

150.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.25

$0.14 ₸66.8

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 KGS 1,026

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 KGS 123

$1.03 ₸475

35.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.12

$0.59 ₸271

-59.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 KGS 295

$4.77 ₸2,206

-29.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.1

$0.47 ₸215

80.85%

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

$38.4K KGS 3.4M

$20.5K ₸9.5M

87.89%

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

$34.3K KGS 3.0M

$24.5K ₸11.3M

40.17%

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

$34.11 KGS 2,985

$39.58 ₸18.3K

-13.82%

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

$6.92 KGS 606

$7.58 ₸3,505

-8.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.63 KGS 1,017

$9.75 ₸4,507

19.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,675

$31.97 ₸14.8K

31.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.56 KGS 1,362

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 KGS 392

$2.69 ₸1,242

66.54%

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

$197 KGS 17.3K

$128 ₸59.1K

54.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,484 KGS 392.5K

$2,304 ₸1.1M

94.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.79 KGS 3,307

$58.4 ₸27.0K

-35.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.30 KGS 3,440

$34.63 ₸16.0K

13.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 KGS 8,378

$64.8 ₸30.0K

47.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 KGS 9,051

$79.7 ₸36.8K

29.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 KGS 43.9K

$251 ₸116.3K

99.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 KGS 32.1K

$179 ₸82.7K

105.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 KGS 78.7K

$446 ₸206.2K

101.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 KGS 54.1K

$373 ₸172.2K

65.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,609 KGS 140.8K

$779 ₸360.2K

106.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 KGS 101.3K

$617 ₸285.3K

87.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 KGS 40.3K

$548 ₸253.2K

-15.87%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aktau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Bishkek versus $251 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 19% 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 $38.00 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 27% 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 $1,333 per month in Bishkek and $1,052 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 $38.00 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $889 in Bishkek and $702 in Aktau, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $702 versus $889 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.