Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Monastir Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Monastir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $895 in Bishkek versus $663 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,374 in Bishkek versus $1,070 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,853 in Bishkek versus $1,476 in Monastir.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 35% more expensive than Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Monastir 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.31 KGS 552

$3.92 TND 11.28

60.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.37 KGS 1,871

$23.48 TND 67.6

-8.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 KGS 490

$5.13 TND 14.78

8.97%

Cappuccino

$2.02 KGS 177

$0.91 TND 2.62

121.98%

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

$0.64 KGS 56.5

$0.69 TND 2.00

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KGS 30.99

$0.31 TND 0.90

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 107

$1.73 TND 4.97

-29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 KGS 154

$1.83 TND 5.28

-3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 KGS 79.1

$0.49 TND 1.42

83.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KGS 40.10

$0.15 TND 0.44

206.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KGS 138

$1.78 TND 5.11

-11.24%

Eggs

$1.75 KGS 153

$1.48 TND 4.27

18.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 KGS 693

$11.90 TND 34.29

-33.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 KGS 427

$5.84 TND 16.81

-16.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 KGS 677

$13.88 TND 39.98

-44.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 KGS 96.8

$1.53 TND 4.40

-27.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 KGS 161

$3.05 TND 8.79

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 KGS 184

$1.00 TND 2.87

110.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 KGS 153

$0.71 TND 2.03

145.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.60

$0.76 TND 2.19

-27.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 KGS 45.56

$0.58 TND 1.67

-10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 KGS 47.61

$0.47 TND 1.35

14.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.15

$0.29 TND 0.82

62.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 148

$3.31 TND 9.52

-48.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.09 KGS 708

$5.26 TND 15.14

53.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.19 TND 3.44

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 KGS 167

$1.33 TND 3.83

43.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.20

$0.39 TND 1.12

-43.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.46 KGS 1,004

$11.34 TND 32.66

1.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$0.32 TND 0.93

334.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.12

$0.31 TND 0.89

-22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 KGS 305

$3.34 TND 9.63

4.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 KGS 75.2

$0.81 TND 2.35

6.17%

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

$38.2K KGS 3.3M

$41.3K TND 118.8K

-7.29%

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

$33.7K KGS 2.9M

$35.9K TND 103.3K

-6.13%

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

$34.34 KGS 3,007

$58.0 TND 167

-40.75%

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

$7.03 KGS 616

$10.35 TND 29.81

-32.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.62 KGS 1,017

$18.65 TND 53.7

-37.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.18 KGS 3,694

$20.73 TND 59.7

103.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.65 KGS 1,371

$6.69 TND 19.26

133.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 KGS 395

$5.30 TND 15.25

-14.91%

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

$195 KGS 17.1K

$105 TND 303

85.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,562 KGS 399.6K

$3,223 TND 9,283

41.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.93 KGS 3,322

$45.22 TND 130

-16.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.24 KGS 3,436

$60.9 TND 176

-35.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 KGS 8,332

$113 TND 325

-15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 KGS 9,041

$83.2 TND 239

24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 KGS 43.8K

$204 TND 587

145.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 KGS 31.6K

$137 TND 395

163.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 KGS 79.4K

$477 TND 1,374

90.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 KGS 55.6K

$274 TND 788

131.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,657 KGS 145.1K

$1,284 TND 3,699

29.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 KGS 102.0K

$648 TND 1,865

79.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$448 KGS 39.2K

$364 TND 1,050

22.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

83.64%

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

Last update for Bishkek: April 22, 2026

Last update for Monastir: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Bishkek and $204 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 23% 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 in Bishkek vs $23 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $187 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 Monastir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monastir is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bishkek pays 23% more on average, 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: $500 in Bishkek versus $204 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $195 in Bishkek versus $105 in Monastir. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Monastir gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Monastir 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 Monastir 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 Monastir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.