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: $899 in Bishkek versus $678 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Bishkek versus $1,094 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,808 in Bishkek versus $1,510 in Monastir.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 33% more expensive than in Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Monastir 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$3.95 TND 11.57

63.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.38 KGS 1,869

$24.15 TND 70.7

-11.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 KGS 493

$5.21 TND 15.25

8.25%

Cappuccino

$2.06 KGS 180

$0.88 TND 2.57

134.09%

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

$0.68 KGS 59.7

$0.69 TND 2.02

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KGS 30.97

$0.29 TND 0.84

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$1.66 TND 4.85

-26.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.81 TND 5.31

-4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.7

$0.47 TND 1.37

104.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.99

$0.15 TND 0.44

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 136

$1.73 TND 5.06

-10.40%

Eggs

$1.76 KGS 154

$1.56 TND 4.57

12.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 KGS 692

$12.36 TND 36.17

-35.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 KGS 425

$6.09 TND 17.82

-20.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 KGS 691

$14.05 TND 41.14

-43.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 KGS 93.3

$1.57 TND 4.60

-31.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 KGS 169

$3.08 TND 9.01

-37.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 KGS 177

$0.93 TND 2.73

117.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 KGS 147

$0.75 TND 2.20

124.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.3

$0.70 TND 2.06

-15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.08

$0.64 TND 1.86

-17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 KGS 47.36

$0.43 TND 1.25

25.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 KGS 44.01

$0.31 TND 0.92

61.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$3.35 TND 9.80

-47.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 KGS 703

$5.14 TND 15.05

56.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 KGS 101

$1.25 TND 3.65

-7.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 KGS 171

$1.38 TND 4.05

42.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.06

$0.36 TND 1.05

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 KGS 1,028

$11.43 TND 33.46

2.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$0.32 TND 0.95

334.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.31 TND 0.90

-22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$3.37 TND 9.86

-0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.6

$0.82 TND 2.40

3.66%

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

$38.3K KGS 3.3M

$40.3K TND 118.1K

-5.03%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$36.3K TND 106.2K

-7.64%

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

$34.83 KGS 3,045

$57.8 TND 169

-39.73%

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

$6.71 KGS 587

$10.03 TND 29.36

-33.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.55 KGS 1,010

$18.26 TND 53.5

-36.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.93 KGS 3,666

$21.02 TND 61.6

99.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 KGS 1,387

$6.89 TND 20.16

130.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 KGS 411

$5.31 TND 15.54

-11.49%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$107 TND 314

86.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,517 KGS 394.9K

$3,171 TND 9,283

42.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.81 KGS 3,218

$46.00 TND 135

-19.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.25 KGS 3,519

$61.2 TND 179

-34.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 KGS 8,401

$113 TND 331

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,900

$82.0 TND 240

24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 KGS 43.1K

$203 TND 594

143.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 KGS 31.5K

$138 TND 403

162.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 KGS 80.2K

$477 TND 1,395

92.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$276 TND 808

126.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,764 KGS 154.2K

$1,251 TND 3,661

41.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,185 KGS 103.6K

$614 TND 1,796

93.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 KGS 42.2K

$354 TND 1,035

36.52%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Monastir: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $493 in Bishkek and $203 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 37% 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 $24.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $191 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 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% 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: $493 in Bishkek versus $203 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Bishkek versus $107 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 $678 in Monastir versus $899 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 33% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.