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: $898 in Bishkek versus $666 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $1,064 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $1,463 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 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$3.82 TND 11.06

62.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$23.36 TND 67.7

-9.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$5.05 TND 14.65

15.05%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$0.91 TND 2.63

131.87%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$0.74 TND 2.14

-9.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$0.29 TND 0.83

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$1.68 TND 4.87

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$1.83 TND 5.30

-8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$0.46 TND 1.35

89.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$0.14 TND 0.41

257.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$1.78 TND 5.17

-8.99%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.53 TND 4.44

12.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$12.14 TND 35.20

-34.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$6.09 TND 17.65

-18.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$13.85 TND 40.15

-41.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$1.57 TND 4.54

-31.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$3.11 TND 9.00

-38.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$0.99 TND 2.87

111.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$0.77 TND 2.22

122.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$0.75 TND 2.17

-26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$0.63 TND 1.82

-15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$0.43 TND 1.25

37.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$0.31 TND 0.91

51.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$3.32 TND 9.62

-49.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$5.31 TND 15.39

50.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.21 TND 3.49

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KGS 164

$1.33 TND 3.86

41.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$0.36 TND 1.04

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$11.31 TND 32.77

4.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$0.32 TND 0.93

334.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.33 TND 0.96

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$3.34 TND 9.69

5.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$0.86 TND 2.50

-3.49%

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$40.8K TND 118.2K

-6.52%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$36.0K TND 104.3K

-5.11%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$59.4 TND 172

-42.32%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$10.12 TND 29.34

-33.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$18.16 TND 52.7

-35.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$20.41 TND 59.2

105.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$6.60 TND 19.13

139.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$5.55 TND 16.09

-18.38%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$104 TND 302

88.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$3,195 TND 9,260

41.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$44.58 TND 129

-16.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$60.7 TND 176

-33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$114 TND 330

-16.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$83.5 TND 242

21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$203 TND 589

139.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$136 TND 396

170.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$459 TND 1,330

99.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$281 TND 815

122.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$1,276 TND 3,698

29.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$628 TND 1,821

84.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$353 TND 1,024

35.53%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Monastir: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $203 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 36% 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 $23.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $190 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 36% 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: $486 in Bishkek versus $203 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $104 in Monastir. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $666 in Monastir versus $898 in Bishkek, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Monastir but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Monastir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.