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: $901 in Bishkek versus $629 in Carthage.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bishkek versus $1,053 in Carthage.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Bishkek versus $1,476 in Carthage.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 43% more expensive than in Carthage, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Carthage 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$5.05 TND 14.31

27.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 KGS 1,844

$25.25 TND 71.5

-16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 498

$5.06 TND 14.34

12.45%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KGS 181

$1.07 TND 3.04

93.46%

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

$0.63 KGS 55.4

$0.71 TND 2.02

-11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KGS 31.14

$0.26 TND 0.73

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$1.72 TND 4.88

-29.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 KGS 149

$1.97 TND 5.59

-13.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.3

$0.47 TND 1.32

104.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.37

$0.20 TND 0.55

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.70 TND 4.83

-7.65%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 152

$1.64 TND 4.65

5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 KGS 717

$10.64 TND 30.15

-22.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 KGS 423

$6.03 TND 17.10

-19.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 KGS 693

$14.54 TND 41.19

-45.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 KGS 98.1

$2.01 TND 5.70

-44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$3.40 TND 9.63

-42.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KGS 185

$1.12 TND 3.19

88.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 KGS 150

$0.73 TND 2.08

135.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.44

$0.75 TND 2.12

-26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 KGS 43.48

$0.65 TND 1.84

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 KGS 48.27

$0.43 TND 1.22

27.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.53

$0.29 TND 0.81

62.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$3.43 TND 9.71

-48.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 KGS 715

$6.88 TND 19.51

18.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 100

$1.35 TND 3.82

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 166

$1.26 TND 3.56

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.21

$0.33 TND 0.92

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

$7.39 TND 20.93

54.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 KGS 123

$0.32 TND 0.91

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.33 TND 0.94

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$3.41 TND 9.65

-2.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.5

$0.82 TND 2.32

3.66%

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

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

$41.4K TND 117.2K

-10.01%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$36.0K TND 102.0K

-6.82%

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

$34.63 KGS 3,027

$45.15 TND 128

-23.30%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$9.42 TND 26.68

-28.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.94 KGS 1,044

$18.30 TND 51.9

-34.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 KGS 3,730

$37.88 TND 107

12.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 KGS 1,395

$13.32 TND 37.74

19.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 KGS 393

$5.17 TND 14.64

-13.15%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$109 TND 309

83.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

$3,309 TND 9,377

37.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 KGS 3,300

$46.19 TND 131

-18.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 KGS 3,522

$60.2 TND 171

-33.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 KGS 8,395

$97.3 TND 276

-1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 KGS 9,128

$65.7 TND 186

58.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 KGS 43.5K

$168 TND 475

196.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.4K

$101 TND 287

266.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 KGS 80.6K

$304 TND 862

203.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 KGS 55.3K

$239 TND 676

165.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

$957 TND 2,712

86.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

$626 TND 1,773

87.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$270 TND 764

81.95%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Carthage: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Bishkek and $168 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 82% 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 $25.00 in Carthage for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $196 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 82% 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 $168 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 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 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $629 in Carthage versus $901 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 43% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.