Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Osh Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Osh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $886 in Bishkek versus $559 in Osh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Bishkek versus $935 in Osh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,825 in Bishkek versus $1,311 in Osh.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 58% more expensive than Osh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 34% lower, Osh 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.39 KGS 558

$3.47 KGS 303

84.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.07 KGS 1,842

$14.84 KGS 1,297

41.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 KGS 504

$5.67 KGS 496

1.76%

Cappuccino

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.40 KGS 122

43.57%

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

$0.64 KGS 56.3

$0.68 KGS 59.4

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KGS 28.30

$0.23 KGS 20.13

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 102

$1.17 KGS 103

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$1.18 KGS 103

42.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KGS 77.9

$0.89 KGS 77.6

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KGS 40.17

$0.39 KGS 33.86

17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KGS 140

$0.88 KGS 76.6

81.82%

Eggs

$1.79 KGS 156

$1.54 KGS 135

16.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 KGS 690

$5.63 KGS 492

40.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 KGS 438

$4.63 KGS 404

8.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 KGS 671

$7.53 KGS 658

1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 KGS 92.6

$0.22 KGS 19.19

381.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$0.93 KGS 81.3

108.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.84 KGS 249

-29.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 KGS 152

$1.17 KGS 102

48.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.7

$0.39 KGS 34.45

51.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 KGS 42.77

$0.33 KGS 28.46

48.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 51.4

$0.24 KGS 21.06

145.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KGS 41.72

$0.56 KGS 48.73

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 KGS 149

$0.71 KGS 62.4

140.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 KGS 687

$5.09 KGS 445

54.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 KGS 106

$1.16 KGS 101

4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 KGS 171

$1.45 KGS 126

35.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.20

$0.15 KGS 12.76

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 KGS 1,014

$22.92 KGS 2,004

-49.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 KGS 121

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 KGS 19.10

$0.17 KGS 14.79

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 309

$1.40 KGS 122

152.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.1

$0.82 KGS 72.0

3.66%

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

$38.3K KGS 3.3M

$22.8K KGS 2.0M

68.03%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

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

$33.53 KGS 2,931

$36.85 KGS 3,222

-9.01%

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

$6.94 KGS 607

$4.20 KGS 367

65.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.95 KGS 1,045

$7.37 KGS 644

62.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 KGS 3,722

$25.38 KGS 2,218

67.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 KGS 1,394

$34.37 KGS 3,004

-53.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 KGS 399

$2.31 KGS 202

97.40%

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

$201 KGS 17.6K

$91.7 KGS 8,020

118.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,559 KGS 398.6K

$1,924 KGS 168.2K

136.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.62 KGS 3,202

$17.36 KGS 1,518

110.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 KGS 3,482

$22.51 KGS 1,968

76.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,284

$56.8 KGS 4,961

66.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,922

$46.12 KGS 4,032

121.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 KGS 42.3K

$376 KGS 32.8K

28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 KGS 31.9K

$182 KGS 15.9K

100.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 KGS 79.6K

$751 KGS 65.6K

21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 KGS 55.6K

$450 KGS 39.3K

41.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,651 KGS 144.4K

$1,222 KGS 106.9K

35.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 KGS 101.0K

$1,031 KGS 90.1K

12.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 KGS 42.0K

$308 KGS 27.0K

55.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Bishkek: June 8, 2026

Last update for Osh: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Bishkek and $376 in Osh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 56% 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 $15.00 in Osh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $137 per month, with Osh 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 Osh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osh is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bishkek pays 56% 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: $484 in Bishkek versus $376 in Osh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Bishkek versus $91.7 in Osh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $559 in Osh versus $886 in Bishkek, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Osh but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Osh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Osh 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 Osh 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 Osh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.