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: $898 in Bishkek versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 59% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bishkek is 33% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$15.91 €13.69

-61.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$64.8 €55.7

-67.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$10.51 €9.04

-44.72%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$2.87 €2.47

-26.48%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$2.24 €1.93

-70.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$1.50 €1.29

-78.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$3.49 €3.00

-66.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$3.88 €3.34

-56.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$1.14 €0.98

-23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$1.75 €1.51

-71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$1.76 €1.51

-7.95%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$3.22 €2.77

-46.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$13.49 €11.61

-40.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$7.91 €6.81

-37.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$15.87 €13.65

-49.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$2.31 €1.99

-53.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.70 €1.46

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$2.01 €1.73

3.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$2.46 €2.12

-30.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$1.84 €1.59

-70.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$2.00 €1.72

-73.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$1.93 €1.66

-69.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$0.79 €0.68

-40.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$6.61 €5.68

-74.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$5.72 €4.92

39.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.37 €1.17

-12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KGS 164

$2.97 €2.56

-36.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$2.37 €2.04

-89.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$45.56 €39.19

-74.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$4.29 €3.69

-67.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.82 €0.70

-70.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$18.30 €15.74

-80.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$2.06 €1.78

-59.71%

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$34.3K €29.5K

11.18%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$39.3K €33.8K

-13.07%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$148 €127

-76.82%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$20.52 €17.65

-67.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$39.61 €34.08

-70.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$47.85 €41.16

-12.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$18.92 €16.28

-16.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$9.18 €7.90

-50.65%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$614 €528

-68.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$16.0K €13.8K

-71.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$105 €90.0

-64.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$42.06 €36.18

-4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$94.0 €80.8

0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$120 €103

-14.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$1,628 €1,400

-70.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$1,255 €1,080

-70.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$3,030 €2,607

-69.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$2,020 €1,738

-69.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$7,800 €6,709

-78.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$4,273 €3,675

-72.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$1,603 €1,379

-70.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

3.81

430.18%

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

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 235% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $269 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 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lisbon earns 235% less. 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: $486 in Bishkek versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $898 in Bishkek versus $2,210 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 146% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.