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: $970 in Bishkek versus $725 in Carthage.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Bishkek versus $1,146 in Carthage.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Bishkek versus $1,567 in Carthage.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 34% more expensive than in Carthage, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 29% lower, Carthage 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 KGS 593

$4.56 TND 13.19

48.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.78 KGS 2,516

$22.03 TND 63.7

30.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$5.96 TND 17.23

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KGS 217

$1.06 TND 3.06

134.91%

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

$0.75 KGS 65.6

$0.80 TND 2.32

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KGS 32.86

$0.30 TND 0.87

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$1.69 TND 4.88

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 166

$2.12 TND 6.14

-10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.6

$0.51 TND 1.48

103.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.62

$0.25 TND 0.72

68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.81 TND 5.23

-4.42%

Eggs

$1.70 KGS 149

$1.70 TND 4.92

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 KGS 651

$10.42 TND 30.15

-28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 KGS 412

$5.87 TND 16.97

-19.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 KGS 748

$14.80 TND 42.81

-42.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 123

$1.42 TND 4.10

-0.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 KGS 157

$3.86 TND 11.16

-53.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 KGS 177

$1.15 TND 3.31

75.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 135

$0.74 TND 2.15

109.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.2

$0.84 TND 2.44

-29.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.52

$0.66 TND 1.91

-28.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KGS 65.1

$0.51 TND 1.49

45.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KGS 50.7

$0.31 TND 0.91

87.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 KGS 176

$3.75 TND 10.85

-46.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 KGS 811

$6.72 TND 19.43

37.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 KGS 121

$1.32 TND 3.82

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 KGS 175

$1.31 TND 3.80

52.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

$0.45 TND 1.29

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

$14.31 TND 41.39

-19.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$0.30 TND 0.85

176.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 41.87

$0.33 TND 0.95

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 KGS 491

$1.89 TND 5.47

197.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.9

$0.90 TND 2.61

6.67%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$41.1K TND 119.0K

-26.91%

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

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

$36.7K TND 106.0K

-10.67%

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

$50.6 KGS 4,425

$47.11 TND 136

7.43%

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

$5.81 KGS 508

$8.59 TND 24.84

-32.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.03 KGS 1,052

$20.79 TND 60.1

-42.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 KGS 4,748

$32.90 TND 95.2

65.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 KGS 1,272

$13.55 TND 39.19

7.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 KGS 492

$5.09 TND 14.71

10.41%

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

$221 KGS 19.3K

$114 TND 330

93.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

$3,928 TND 11.4K

95.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 KGS 4,871

$51.1 TND 148

8.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 KGS 3,830

$66.9 TND 193

-34.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 KGS 8,018

$112 TND 324

-18.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 KGS 7,998

$60.8 TND 176

50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KGS 50.7K

$219 TND 632

165.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 KGS 36.3K

$164 TND 474

153.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

$218 TND 631

393.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 KGS 62.7K

$290 TND 837

147.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

$989 TND 2,861

79.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

$648 TND 1,875

84.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 KGS 43.9K

$278 TND 803

80.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

10.28

96.69%

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

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Last update for Carthage: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Bishkek and $219 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 81% 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 $22.00 in Carthage. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $198, 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 Carthage: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carthage is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 81% 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: $580 in Bishkek versus $219 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $221 in Bishkek versus $114 in Carthage. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $725 in Carthage versus $970 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 34% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.