Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Carthage Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Carthage

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $898 in Bishkek versus $650 in Carthage.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $1,056 in Carthage.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $1,462 in Carthage.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 38% more expensive than Carthage, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Carthage 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$5.01 TND 14.55

23.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$25.83 TND 75.0

-18.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$5.22 TND 15.14

11.30%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$1.06 TND 3.08

99.06%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$0.70 TND 2.04

-4.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$0.28 TND 0.82

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$1.68 TND 4.87

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$1.92 TND 5.57

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$0.49 TND 1.43

77.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$0.20 TND 0.58

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$1.74 TND 5.04

-6.90%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.64 TND 4.77

4.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$10.47 TND 30.39

-23.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$6.11 TND 17.75

-19.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$14.88 TND 43.21

-45.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$2.02 TND 5.88

-46.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$3.53 TND 10.24

-46.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$1.12 TND 3.26

86.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$0.74 TND 2.14

131.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$0.78 TND 2.27

-29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$0.66 TND 1.92

-19.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$0.46 TND 1.34

28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$0.31 TND 0.91

51.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$3.56 TND 10.32

-52.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$7.78 TND 22.59

2.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.30 TND 3.77

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KGS 164

$1.26 TND 3.65

49.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$0.36 TND 1.03

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$7.26 TND 21.08

62.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$0.32 TND 0.94

334.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.31 TND 0.89

-22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$3.37 TND 9.79

4.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$0.83 TND 2.41

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$40.3K TND 117.1K

-5.53%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$36.2K TND 105.1K

-5.62%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$45.69 TND 133

-24.99%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$9.47 TND 27.50

-28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$18.94 TND 55.0

-37.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$37.63 TND 109

11.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$13.48 TND 39.15

17.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$5.31 TND 15.41

-14.69%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$109 TND 316

80.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$3,369 TND 9,781

33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$44.85 TND 130

-17.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$61.5 TND 178

-34.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$97.0 TND 282

-2.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$65.6 TND 191

55.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$168 TND 487

189.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$99.8 TND 290

270.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$301 TND 874

204.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$239 TND 695

161.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$867 TND 2,519

90.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$413 TND 1,198

181.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$278 TND 807

72.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

10.96

84.31%

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

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Last update for Carthage: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $168 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 72% 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 $26.00 in Carthage for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $200 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 Carthage: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carthage is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bishkek pays 72% 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 $168 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $109 in Carthage. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $650 in Carthage versus $898 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carthage but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Carthage the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Carthage 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 Carthage 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 Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.