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: $966 in Bishkek versus $730 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,507 in Bishkek versus $1,174 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,048 in Bishkek versus $1,619 in Monastir.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 32% more expensive than in Monastir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 30% lower, Monastir 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 KGS 587

$5.04 TND 14.56

33.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.54 KGS 2,495

$21.90 TND 63.2

30.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 KGS 517

$6.26 TND 18.05

-5.43%

Cappuccino

$2.48 KGS 217

$1.09 TND 3.14

127.52%

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

$0.76 KGS 66.5

$0.78 TND 2.24

-2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.31

$0.40 TND 1.15

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 KGS 117

$1.67 TND 4.81

-20.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KGS 173

$1.75 TND 5.05

13.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.8

$0.51 TND 1.48

103.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KGS 35.89

$0.17 TND 0.50

141.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$1.73 TND 4.98

-1.16%

Eggs

$1.68 KGS 147

$1.72 TND 4.96

-2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 KGS 676

$13.80 TND 39.83

-43.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 KGS 392

$6.21 TND 17.93

-27.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 KGS 767

$15.31 TND 44.19

-42.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 124

$1.98 TND 5.72

-28.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 KGS 161

$4.73 TND 13.66

-61.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 182

$1.16 TND 3.35

80.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 KGS 141

$0.82 TND 2.36

96.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 KGS 49.90

$0.88 TND 2.54

-35.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.24

$0.71 TND 2.04

-33.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KGS 61.5

$0.47 TND 1.34

48.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KGS 52.5

$0.31 TND 0.88

93.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 KGS 182

$3.86 TND 11.12

-46.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 KGS 776

$5.04 TND 14.54

76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 KGS 124

$1.25 TND 3.60

13.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KGS 168

$1.34 TND 3.88

43.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.10

$0.32 TND 0.93

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 KGS 1,012

$11.46 TND 33.08

0.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$0.32 TND 0.93

171.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 42.17

$0.32 TND 0.91

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 KGS 499

$1.82 TND 5.25

213.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.2

$0.84 TND 2.43

14.29%

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

$29.5K KGS 2.6M

$40.3K TND 116.3K

-26.91%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$38.0K TND 109.7K

-12.00%

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

$50.6 KGS 4,422

$70.6 TND 204

-28.32%

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

$5.62 KGS 491

$10.78 TND 31.11

-47.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.88 KGS 1,038

$20.29 TND 58.5

-41.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 KGS 4,886

$24.25 TND 70.0

130.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.46 KGS 1,264

$6.82 TND 19.68

112.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 KGS 501

$6.03 TND 17.39

-4.81%

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

$223 KGS 19.5K

$97.3 TND 281

129.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,761 KGS 678.5K

$3,077 TND 8,878

152.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 KGS 4,923

$49.35 TND 142

14.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.86 KGS 3,835

$66.2 TND 191

-33.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 KGS 7,921

$112 TND 323

-19.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 KGS 7,957

$111 TND 320

-17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 KGS 52.6K

$209 TND 603

187.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 KGS 35.6K

$124 TND 359

227.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 KGS 96.0K

$376 TND 1,085

192.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 KGS 61.2K

$246 TND 710

184.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,802 KGS 157.6K

$1,246 TND 3,596

44.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,182 KGS 103.3K

$626 TND 1,806

88.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 KGS 43.0K

$356 TND 1,026

38.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

83.82%

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

Last update for Bishkek: September 6, 2026

Last update for Monastir: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $602 in Bishkek and $209 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 38% 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 $22.00 in Monastir. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $215, with Bishkek cheaper for home cooking.

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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Bishkek, 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: $602 in Bishkek versus $209 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Bishkek versus $97.3 in Monastir. 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 $730 in Monastir versus $966 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 32% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.