Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Karaganda

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaganda: $926 a month against $980 in Bishkek, rent and utilities included – about $650 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bishkek outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

48

Cost of Living Index in Bishkek
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Bishkek Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Karaganda
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Karaganda Living Index

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Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

$980

/mo nomad

Karaganda

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$926

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bishkek and in Karaganda

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bishkek and in Karaganda actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $980 in Bishkek versus $926 in Karaganda.

Bishkek $980
Karaganda $926

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,503 in Bishkek versus $1,492 in Karaganda.

Bishkek $1,503
Karaganda $1,492

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Bishkek versus $2,058 in Karaganda.

Bishkek $2,026
Karaganda $2,058

Living in Bishkek is roughly 6% more expensive than in Karaganda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 27% lower, Karaganda 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 KGS 614

$9.85 ₸4,452

-28.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.73 KGS 2,513

$35.09 ₸15.9K

-18.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 KGS 501

$5.43 ₸2,453

5.52%

Cappuccino

$2.40 KGS 210

$1.92 ₸869

25.00%

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

$0.75 KGS 66.0

$0.91 ₸413

-17.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.19

$0.64 ₸290

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 KGS 123

$1.36 ₸617

3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 165

$2.80 ₸1,267

-32.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 KGS 90.1

$1.34 ₸605

-23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 KGS 33.63

$0.49 ₸222

-22.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KGS 144

$1.32 ₸597

24.24%

Eggs

$1.77 KGS 155

$1.79 ₸808

-1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 KGS 674

$13.12 ₸5,929

-41.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.51 KGS 395

$5.40 ₸2,442

-16.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 KGS 787

$11.19 ₸5,060

-19.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 KGS 119

$1.49 ₸673

-8.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KGS 165

$1.89 ₸856

-0.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.87 ₸1,299

-29.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 KGS 134

$2.17 ₸979

-29.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 KGS 50.8

$0.67 ₸301

-13.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 KGS 41.73

$0.59 ₸267

-18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KGS 61.2

$1.03 ₸467

-32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 KGS 53.8

$0.69 ₸310

-11.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 KGS 177

$2.25 ₸1,016

-10.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 KGS 803

$8.43 ₸3,813

8.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 KGS 124

$1.35 ₸610

5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.12 ₸957

-5.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.13

$0.21 ₸94.9

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.78 KGS 1,031

$15.75 ₸7,119

-25.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 KGS 76.4

$1.26 ₸568

-30.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 KGS 41.43

$1.20 ₸541

-60.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 KGS 494

$3.31 ₸1,496

70.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 KGS 89.4

$0.56 ₸254

82.14%

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

$30.0K KGS 2.6M

$22.0K ₸10.0M

35.86%

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

$33.6K KGS 2.9M

$31.9K ₸14.4M

5.06%

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

$50.2 KGS 4,393

$72.2 ₸32.7K

-30.50%

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

$5.62 KGS 491

$10.01 ₸4,523

-43.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$11.86 ₸5,360

-0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 KGS 4,813

$46.00 ₸20.8K

19.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.87 KGS 1,301

$18.82 ₸8,505

-20.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 KGS 497

$5.34 ₸2,416

6.37%

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

$222 KGS 19.4K

$135 ₸60.8K

64.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,839 KGS 685.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 KGS 4,843

$58.9 ₸26.6K

-5.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 KGS 3,745

$57.8 ₸26.1K

-25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 KGS 7,841

$79.1 ₸35.8K

13.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 KGS 8,030

$85.6 ₸38.7K

7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 KGS 53.5K

$394 ₸178.2K

55.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 KGS 35.8K

$273 ₸123.2K

50.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 KGS 91.1K

$738 ₸333.5K

41.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 KGS 62.0K

$536 ₸242.3K

32.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,803 KGS 157.7K

$1,053 ₸476.1K

71.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 KGS 107.0K

$711 ₸321.5K

72.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 KGS 45.0K

$569 ₸257.3K

-9.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.1

19.25

4.42%

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

Last update for Bishkek: October 12, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bishkek

$410 41.8%

Karaganda

$273 29.5% 33.5% $137

Groceries & Markets

Bishkek

$177 18%

Karaganda

$215 23.2% 21.9% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Bishkek

$126 12.8%

Karaganda

$127 13.7% 0.6% $0.8

Eating Out

Bishkek

$118 12%

Karaganda

$137 14.8% 16.4% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bishkek

$68 6.9%

Karaganda

$94 10.2% 39.2% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Bishkek

$66 6.8%

Karaganda

$57 6.1% 14.6% $9.7

Getting Around

Bishkek

$16 1.6%

Karaganda

$24 2.6% 49.9% $7.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $612 in Bishkek and $394 in Karaganda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karaganda pays 11% 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 $35.00 in Karaganda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $215 per month, with Bishkek cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇬 Bishkek

🇰🇿 Karaganda

🕒 Local time

15:17 3:17 PM

Same time as Bishkek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,012,500 Capital

520,486

💱 Currency

Kyrgyzstani Som KGS сом

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 KGS = 1.14 USD

100 KGS = 1.02 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to KGS – Kyrgyzstani Som Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstani Som (сом)

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 87.48 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 98.35 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to KGS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bishkek Karaganda 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bishkek
Karaganda

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaganda is cheaper overall, especially in leisure. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Karaganda. 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: $612 in Bishkek versus $394 in Karaganda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Bishkek versus $135 in Karaganda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $926 in Karaganda versus $980 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaganda but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Karaganda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karaganda 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 Karaganda 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 Karaganda 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.