Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Belem Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Belem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Bishkek versus $783 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bishkek versus $1,254 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Bishkek versus $1,724 in Belem.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 15% more expensive than in Belem, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Belem 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$4.43 R$22.66

45.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 KGS 1,844

$28.89 R$148

-26.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 498

$6.26 R$32.02

-9.11%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KGS 181

$1.60 R$8.16

29.37%

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

$0.63 KGS 55.4

$0.93 R$4.73

-32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KGS 31.14

$0.47 R$2.38

-23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$1.60 R$8.16

-23.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 KGS 149

$3.51 R$17.93

-51.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.3

$1.15 R$5.90

-16.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.37

$2.11 R$10.79

-76.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.25 R$6.36

25.60%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 152

$1.98 R$10.11

-12.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 KGS 717

$10.31 R$52.7

-20.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 KGS 423

$3.95 R$20.18

22.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 KGS 693

$6.71 R$34.28

18.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 KGS 98.1

$1.71 R$8.74

-34.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.73 R$8.83

12.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KGS 185

$1.29 R$6.59

63.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.46 R$7.47

17.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.44

$0.92 R$4.72

-40.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 KGS 43.48

$0.55 R$2.81

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 KGS 48.27

$1.03 R$5.27

-46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.53

$1.35 R$6.88

-65.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$2.49 R$12.74

-29.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 KGS 715

$9.88 R$50.5

-17.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 100

$1.31 R$6.70

-12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 166

$4.56 R$23.32

-58.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.21

$0.74 R$3.80

-70.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

$21.48 R$110

-46.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 KGS 123

$1.11 R$5.67

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.74 R$3.79

-67.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$8.84 R$45.17

-62.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.5

$1.04 R$5.30

-18.27%

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

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

$16.1K R$82.3K

131.06%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$29.0K R$148.0K

15.86%

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

$34.63 KGS 3,027

$111 R$568

-68.84%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$14.53 R$74.3

-53.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.94 KGS 1,044

$21.28 R$109

-43.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 KGS 3,730

$21.25 R$109

100.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 KGS 1,395

$21.56 R$110

-25.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 KGS 393

$6.21 R$31.76

-27.70%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$101 R$514

98.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

$3,082 R$15.7K

47.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 KGS 3,300

$32.98 R$169

14.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 KGS 3,522

$28.89 R$148

39.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 KGS 8,395

$75.8 R$387

26.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 KGS 9,128

$41.88 R$214

149.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 KGS 43.5K

$435 R$2,225

14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.4K

$188 R$962

96.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 KGS 80.6K

$800 R$4,091

15.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 KGS 55.3K

$466 R$2,382

35.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

$1,951 R$9,972

-8.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

$1,369 R$6,995

-14.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$409 R$2,090

19.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

12.2

65.57%

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

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Bishkek and $435 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 20% 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: $21.00 in Bishkek vs $29.00 in Belem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $207 per month, with Bishkek cheaper across the board.

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 Belem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Bishkek, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $498 in Bishkek versus $435 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 88% less than in Bishkek. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $200 in Bishkek versus $101 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $783 in Belem versus $901 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.

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.

Safety-wise, Bishkek and Belem 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 Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.