Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Bishkek: $1,003 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Bishkek
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Bishkek Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

$1,003

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bishkek and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bishkek and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Bishkek versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Bishkek $1,003
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,502 in Bishkek versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Bishkek $1,502
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Bishkek versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Bishkek $2,000
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 63% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bishkek is 25% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 KGS 582

$20.22 $20.22

-67.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.85 KGS 2,520

$85.0 $85.0

-66.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 KGS 495

$12.35 $12.35

-54.09%

Cappuccino

$2.47 KGS 216

$5.47 $5.47

-54.84%

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

$0.77 KGS 67.3

$3.82 $3.82

-79.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.14

$2.50 $2.50

-84.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 122

$8.06 $8.06

-82.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KGS 173

$8.99 $8.99

-77.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 KGS 89.8

$1.13 $1.13

-8.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 KGS 33.96

$3.78 $3.78

-89.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KGS 151

$3.25 $3.25

-46.77%

Eggs

$1.71 KGS 150

$4.14 $4.14

-58.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 KGS 666

$13.08 $13.08

-41.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 KGS 390

$14.31 $14.31

-68.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.88 KGS 776

$15.96 $15.96

-44.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 123

$4.38 $4.38

-67.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.45 $1.45

31.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$4.54 $4.54

-55.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$4.19 $4.19

-62.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 KGS 54.4

$2.63 $2.63

-76.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 KGS 41.92

$2.36 $2.36

-79.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 KGS 65.5

$1.76 $1.76

-57.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 KGS 53.0

$2.16 $2.16

-71.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 KGS 181

$9.81 $9.81

-78.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.06 KGS 792

$14.72 $14.72

-38.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 KGS 125

$2.78 $2.78

-48.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 KGS 177

$3.48 $3.48

-41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.14

$1.49 $1.49

-85.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 KGS 1,035

$40.51 $40.51

-70.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$2.67 $2.67

-68.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 KGS 41.06

$1.58 $1.58

-70.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 KGS 493

$35.29 $35.29

-84.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 KGS 82.6

$0.99 $0.99

-5.05%

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

$30.4K KGS 2.7M

$35.8K $35.8K

-15.02%

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

$33.6K KGS 2.9M

$27.2K $27.2K

23.56%

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

$49.60 KGS 4,334

$219 $219

-77.38%

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

$5.87 KGS 513

$58.0 $58.0

-89.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.90 KGS 1,040

$68.4 $68.4

-82.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 KGS 4,784

$57.9 $57.9

-5.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 KGS 1,301

$14.82 $14.82

0.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 KGS 491

$14.13 $14.13

-60.23%

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

$216 KGS 18.9K

$1,509 $1,509

-85.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,991 KGS 698.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

-62.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 KGS 4,808

$51.7 $51.7

6.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.42 KGS 3,707

$44.05 $44.05

-3.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 KGS 7,844

$85.1 $85.1

5.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 KGS 7,955

$105 $105

-13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 KGS 52.3K

$1,932 $1,932

-69.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 KGS 36.5K

$1,272 $1,272

-67.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 KGS 88.5K

$3,670 $3,670

-72.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 KGS 63.1K

$2,525 $2,525

-71.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,808 KGS 157.9K

$7,617 $7,617

-76.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,209 KGS 105.7K

$3,199 $3,199

-62.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 KGS 44.2K

$5,105 $5,105

-90.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.1

6.79

196.02%

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

Last update for Bishkek: October 6, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bishkek

$418 42.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 205% $855

Groceries & Markets

Bishkek

$177 17.9%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 128% $226

Clothing & Footwear

Bishkek

$125 12.7%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 2.8% $3.5

Eating Out

Bishkek

$116 11.7%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 201% $232

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bishkek

$67 6.8%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 413% $278

Sport & Entertainment

Bishkek

$66 6.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 30.6% $20

Getting Around

Bishkek

$16 1.6%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 259% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $598 in Bishkek and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 909% 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 Bishkek vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $403 per month, with Bishkek cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇬 Bishkek

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

12:44 12:44 PM

01:44 1:44 AM

11 h behind Bishkek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,012,500 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Kyrgyzstani Som KGS сом

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 KGS = 1.14 USD

100 KGS = 1.02 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to KGS – Kyrgyzstani Som Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstani Som (сом)

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 87.37 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 97.99 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to KGS in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bishkek Austin, TX 11,840 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Bishkek
Austin, TX

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

Bishkek vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bishkek the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 909% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $598 in Bishkek versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Bishkek versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bishkek runs roughly 242% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Bishkek versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bishkek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bishkek delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bishkek hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bishkek and Austin, TX 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 Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.