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: $898 in Bishkek versus $772 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $1,253 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $1,734 in Belem.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 16% more expensive than Belem, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Belem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$4.43 R$22.39

39.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$28.57 R$145

-25.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$6.16 R$31.15

-5.68%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$1.59 R$8.07

32.70%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$0.93 R$4.71

-27.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$0.44 R$2.20

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$1.60 R$8.12

-26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$3.70 R$18.74

-54.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$1.16 R$5.86

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$2.10 R$10.63

-76.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$1.23 R$6.24

31.71%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$2.02 R$10.21

-14.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$10.65 R$53.9

-25.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$3.88 R$19.61

27.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$6.50 R$32.88

24.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$1.69 R$8.55

-36.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.66 R$8.40

14.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$1.23 R$6.25

69.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$1.45 R$7.35

17.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$0.92 R$4.66

-40.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$0.56 R$2.84

-5.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$1.03 R$5.22

-42.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$1.34 R$6.78

-64.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$2.38 R$12.04

-28.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$9.65 R$48.83

-17.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.36 R$6.88

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KGS 164

$4.43 R$22.42

-57.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$0.69 R$3.48

-65.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$21.60 R$109

-45.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$1.05 R$5.30

32.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.72 R$3.62

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$9.12 R$46.14

-61.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$1.08 R$5.46

-23.15%

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$16.2K R$81.7K

135.94%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$28.9K R$146.3K

18.15%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$110 R$557

-68.89%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$14.40 R$72.8

-53.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$21.23 R$107

-44.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$20.77 R$105

102.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$21.71 R$110

-27.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$6.32 R$31.99

-28.32%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$97.4 R$493

101.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$3,133 R$15.9K

43.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$32.96 R$167

12.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$28.72 R$145

39.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$75.0 R$379

26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$41.69 R$211

144.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$442 R$2,237

9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$185 R$938

99.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$815 R$4,123

12.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$457 R$2,314

36.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$1,996 R$10.1K

-17.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$1,420 R$7,186

-18.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$392 R$1,982

22.17%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $442 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 22% 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 $170 vs $206 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bishkek pays 22% more on average, 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: $486 in Bishkek versus $442 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 84% less than in Bishkek. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $97.4 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $772 in Belem versus $898 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 16% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.