Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Brest Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Brest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $970 in Bishkek versus $854 in Brest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Bishkek versus $1,334 in Brest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Bishkek versus $1,814 in Brest.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 14% more expensive than in Brest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 29% lower, Brest 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 KGS 593

$13.25 BYN 40.82

-48.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.78 KGS 2,516

$36.77 BYN 113

-21.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$6.34 BYN 19.53

-8.36%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KGS 217

$2.03 BYN 6.25

22.66%

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

$0.75 KGS 65.6

$1.01 BYN 3.10

-25.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KGS 32.86

$0.81 BYN 2.51

-53.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$3.03 BYN 9.33

-53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 166

$3.88 BYN 11.96

-51.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.6

$1.16 BYN 3.59

-10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.62

$1.01 BYN 3.10

-58.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.02 BYN 3.15

69.61%

Eggs

$1.70 KGS 149

$1.60 BYN 4.92

6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 KGS 651

$6.65 BYN 20.48

12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 KGS 412

$3.48 BYN 10.72

35.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 KGS 748

$3.37 BYN 10.38

154.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 123

$2.01 BYN 6.19

-29.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 KGS 157

$2.46 BYN 7.57

-27.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 KGS 177

$2.13 BYN 6.56

-5.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 135

$2.42 BYN 7.46

-35.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.2

$0.81 BYN 2.49

-27.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.52

$1.66 BYN 5.12

-71.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KGS 65.1

$1.94 BYN 5.98

-61.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KGS 50.7

$1.27 BYN 3.92

-54.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 KGS 176

$2.54 BYN 7.81

-20.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 KGS 811

$7.59 BYN 23.39

22.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 KGS 121

$1.17 BYN 3.61

17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 KGS 175

$1.92 BYN 5.92

4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

$0.34 BYN 1.06

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

$15.75 BYN 48.51

-26.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$0.75 BYN 2.30

10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 41.87

$0.56 BYN 1.72

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 KGS 491

$16.45 BYN 50.7

-65.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.9

$0.88 BYN 2.71

9.09%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$18.7K BYN 57.5K

60.94%

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

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

$26.6K BYN 81.9K

23.11%

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

$50.6 KGS 4,425

$62.6 BYN 193

-19.15%

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

$5.81 KGS 508

$11.00 BYN 33.87

-47.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.03 KGS 1,052

$22.38 BYN 68.9

-46.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 KGS 4,748

$32.18 BYN 99.1

68.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 KGS 1,272

$7.80 BYN 24.03

86.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 KGS 492

$5.36 BYN 16.52

4.85%

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

$221 KGS 19.3K

$321 BYN 990

-31.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

$6,161 BYN 19.0K

24.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 KGS 4,871

$52.0 BYN 160

7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 KGS 3,830

$37.38 BYN 115

17.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 KGS 8,018

$129 BYN 398

-28.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 KGS 7,998

$85.1 BYN 262

7.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KGS 50.7K

$358 BYN 1,102

62.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 KGS 36.3K

$182 BYN 561

128.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

$500 BYN 1,541

114.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 KGS 62.7K

$318 BYN 980

125.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

$2,385 BYN 7,345

-25.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

$2,708 BYN 8,342

-55.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 KGS 43.9K

$514 BYN 1,582

-2.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

83.82%

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

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Last update for Brest: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Bishkek and $358 in Brest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brest pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Bishkek vs $37.00 in Brest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $179 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 Brest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brest is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Brest. 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: $580 in Bishkek versus $358 in Brest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $221 in Bishkek versus $321 in Brest. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $854 in Brest versus $970 in Bishkek, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brest but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Brest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Brest 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 Brest 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 Brest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.