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: $979 in Bishkek versus $920 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Bishkek versus $1,413 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,022 in Bishkek versus $1,906 in Belem.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 6% more expensive than in Belem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 28% lower, Belem 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 KGS 601

$4.78 R$24.63

43.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.57 KGS 2,498

$19.78 R$102

44.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 KGS 513

$6.94 R$35.73

-15.42%

Cappuccino

$2.50 KGS 218

$2.01 R$10.38

24.38%

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

$0.76 KGS 66.5

$1.03 R$5.31

-26.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.10

$0.51 R$2.64

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$1.52 R$7.81

-7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KGS 168

$2.29 R$11.81

-16.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.9

$1.29 R$6.66

-19.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.67

$2.41 R$12.41

-82.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KGS 145

$1.29 R$6.65

27.91%

Eggs

$1.71 KGS 150

$2.09 R$10.77

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 KGS 649

$9.12 R$47.01

-18.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 KGS 402

$4.46 R$22.96

2.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.93 KGS 781

$7.59 R$39.10

17.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 KGS 118

$2.23 R$11.47

-39.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 KGS 166

$1.38 R$7.10

36.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.44 R$7.43

39.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.67 R$8.61

-5.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 KGS 53.7

$1.02 R$5.23

-40.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.40

$0.61 R$3.12

-22.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 KGS 66.1

$1.29 R$6.62

-41.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KGS 54.0

$1.38 R$7.14

-55.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 KGS 185

$2.68 R$13.80

-21.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 KGS 788

$9.67 R$49.83

-6.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 KGS 123

$1.41 R$7.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KGS 168

$4.82 R$24.85

-60.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.06

$0.88 R$4.52

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 KGS 1,011

$33.74 R$174

-65.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 KGS 77.9

$1.15 R$5.95

-22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 KGS 41.22

$1.19 R$6.16

-60.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 KGS 509

$8.21 R$42.29

-29.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 KGS 78.6

$1.25 R$6.46

-28.00%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$22.8K R$117.6K

31.86%

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

$33.3K KGS 2.9M

$31.6K R$162.8K

5.31%

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

$50.3 KGS 4,397

$98.3 R$506

-48.85%

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

$5.86 KGS 512

$11.06 R$57.0

-47.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.85 KGS 1,036

$30.50 R$157

-61.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 KGS 4,738

$21.09 R$109

156.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 KGS 1,280

$38.56 R$199

-62.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 KGS 494

$7.67 R$39.49

-26.34%

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

$222 KGS 19.4K

$112 R$576

98.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,924 KGS 692.7K

$3,359 R$17.3K

135.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 KGS 4,822

$31.67 R$163

74.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.47 KGS 3,713

$43.49 R$224

-2.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 KGS 8,049

$81.7 R$421

12.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 KGS 7,784

$65.4 R$337

36.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 KGS 51.7K

$531 R$2,733

11.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 KGS 35.7K

$275 R$1,415

48.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 KGS 95.5K

$860 R$4,429

27.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 KGS 61.8K

$517 R$2,665

36.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 KGS 155.1K

$1,952 R$10.1K

-9.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 KGS 105.7K

$1,408 R$7,255

-14.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 KGS 44.1K

$405 R$2,088

24.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

11.48

76.13%

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

Last update for Bishkek: September 14, 2026

Last update for Belem: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $591 in Bishkek and $531 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 24% 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 $20.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $219, with Bishkek cheaper for home cooking.

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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $591 in Bishkek versus $531 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 192% less than in Bishkek. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $222 in Bishkek versus $112 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $920 in Belem versus $979 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 6% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.