Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Msaken Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Msaken

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $898 in Bishkek versus $670 in Msaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $1,077 in Msaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $1,483 in Msaken.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 34% more expensive than Msaken, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Msaken 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$4.96 TND 14.42

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$24.14 TND 70.1

-12.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$5.06 TND 14.69

14.82%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$1.02 TND 2.97

106.86%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$0.69 TND 2.02

-2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$0.29 TND 0.84

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$1.17 TND 3.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$2.76 TND 8.01

-39.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$0.49 TND 1.43

77.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$0.17 TND 0.48

194.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$1.29 TND 3.75

25.58%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.67 TND 4.86

2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$12.06 TND 35.00

-34.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$6.33 TND 18.37

-21.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$13.76 TND 39.95

-41.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$2.09 TND 6.06

-48.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$3.20 TND 9.30

-40.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$1.12 TND 3.26

86.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$0.75 TND 2.19

128.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$0.70 TND 2.02

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$0.59 TND 1.71

-10.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$0.40 TND 1.17

47.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$0.29 TND 0.84

62.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$3.43 TND 9.96

-50.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$5.93 TND 17.23

34.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.15 TND 3.35

4.35%

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

$0.35 TND 1.03

-31.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$9.97 TND 28.96

18.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$0.31 TND 0.89

348.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.31 TND 0.89

-22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$3.49 TND 10.14

1.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$0.88 TND 2.56

-5.68%

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$40.0K TND 116.1K

-4.69%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$35.9K TND 104.1K

-4.77%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$58.2 TND 169

-41.15%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$9.99 TND 28.99

-32.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$18.91 TND 54.9

-37.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$23.79 TND 69.1

76.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$12.54 TND 36.42

25.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$5.32 TND 15.44

-14.85%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$106 TND 308

85.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$3,137 TND 9,109

43.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$41.07 TND 119

-9.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$60.7 TND 176

-33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$101 TND 293

-5.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$79.2 TND 230

28.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$195 TND 566

149.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$136 TND 395

171.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$373 TND 1,083

145.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$269 TND 780

132.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$987 TND 2,866

67.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$715 TND 2,076

62.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$248 TND 719

93.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

10.96

84.31%

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

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Last update for Msaken: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $195 in Msaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 93% 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 Msaken for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $194 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 Msaken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Msaken is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bishkek pays 93% 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 $195 in Msaken. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $106 in Msaken. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $670 in Msaken versus $898 in Bishkek, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Msaken but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Msaken the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Msaken 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 Msaken 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 Msaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.