Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $970 in Bishkek versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Bishkek versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Bishkek versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 58% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bishkek is 29% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 KGS 593

$17.30 €14.92

-60.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.78 KGS 2,516

$63.3 €54.6

-54.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$11.39 €9.83

-48.99%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KGS 217

$3.19 €2.75

-21.94%

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

$0.75 KGS 65.6

$2.45 €2.11

-69.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KGS 32.86

$1.76 €1.52

-78.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$3.59 €3.10

-61.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 166

$3.39 €2.93

-43.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.6

$1.24 €1.07

-16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.62

$1.98 €1.71

-78.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.52 €1.31

13.82%

Eggs

$1.70 KGS 149

$4.04 €3.49

-57.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 KGS 651

$13.54 €11.68

-44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 KGS 412

$8.39 €7.23

-43.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 KGS 748

$18.25 €15.74

-53.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 123

$2.29 €1.97

-38.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 KGS 157

$1.74 €1.50

2.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 KGS 177

$1.86 €1.60

8.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 135

$2.63 €2.27

-41.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.2

$1.92 €1.65

-69.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.52

$2.09 €1.81

-77.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KGS 65.1

$1.44 €1.24

-48.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KGS 50.7

$0.84 €0.73

-30.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 KGS 176

$6.78 €5.85

-70.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 KGS 811

$5.71 €4.93

62.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 KGS 121

$1.38 €1.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 KGS 175

$2.22 €1.91

-9.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

$2.40 €2.07

-90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

$46.78 €40.35

-75.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$4.17 €3.60

-80.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 41.87

$1.14 €0.98

-57.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 KGS 491

$17.68 €15.25

-68.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.9

$2.32 €2.00

-58.62%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$35.3K €30.5K

-14.91%

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

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

$41.4K €35.7K

-21.00%

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

$50.6 KGS 4,425

$170 €147

-70.29%

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

$5.81 KGS 508

$19.34 €16.68

-69.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.03 KGS 1,052

$33.64 €29.01

-64.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 KGS 4,748

$48.10 €41.48

12.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 KGS 1,272

$19.90 €17.16

-26.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 KGS 492

$9.92 €8.56

-43.35%

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

$221 KGS 19.3K

$717 €619

-69.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

$17.5K €15.1K

-55.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 KGS 4,871

$105 €90.4

-46.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 KGS 3,830

$46.95 €40.49

-6.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 KGS 8,018

$103 €89.2

-11.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 KGS 7,998

$124 €107

-26.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KGS 50.7K

$1,677 €1,446

-65.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 KGS 36.3K

$1,271 €1,096

-67.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

$2,985 €2,574

-63.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 KGS 62.7K

$1,992 €1,718

-64.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

$7,826 €6,750

-77.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

$4,658 €4,017

-74.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 KGS 43.9K

$1,583 €1,365

-68.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

3.79

433.51%

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

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Bishkek and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 215% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $283 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 215% lower in Lisbon. 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 $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $221 in Bishkek versus $717 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $970 in Bishkek versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bishkek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bishkek is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bishkek and Lisbon 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 Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.