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: $979 in Bishkek versus $715 in Osh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Bishkek versus $1,151 in Osh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,022 in Bishkek versus $1,588 in Osh.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 37% more expensive than in Osh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 28% lower, Osh 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 KGS 601

$4.55 KGS 397

51.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.57 KGS 2,498

$22.76 KGS 1,990

25.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 KGS 513

$9.25 KGS 809

-36.54%

Cappuccino

$2.50 KGS 218

$1.90 KGS 166

31.58%

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

$0.76 KGS 66.5

$0.82 KGS 71.4

-7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.10

$0.28 KGS 24.55

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$1.11 KGS 96.8

26.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KGS 168

$1.24 KGS 109

54.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.9

$0.89 KGS 77.9

16.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.67

$0.35 KGS 30.21

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KGS 145

$1.21 KGS 106

36.36%

Eggs

$1.71 KGS 150

$1.44 KGS 126

18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 KGS 649

$4.78 KGS 418

55.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 KGS 402

$3.41 KGS 298

34.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.93 KGS 781

$7.73 KGS 676

15.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 KGS 118

$0.68 KGS 59.6

98.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 KGS 166

$1.53 KGS 134

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.21 KGS 193

-9.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.19 KGS 104

31.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 KGS 53.7

$0.48 KGS 41.90

27.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.40

$0.46 KGS 40.52

2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 KGS 66.1

$0.63 KGS 55.0

20.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KGS 54.0

$0.68 KGS 59.8

-8.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 KGS 185

$2.10 KGS 184

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 KGS 788

$5.13 KGS 449

75.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 KGS 123

$1.16 KGS 102

21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KGS 168

$1.64 KGS 144

17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.06

$0.22 KGS 19.18

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 KGS 1,011

$11.83 KGS 1,034

-2.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 KGS 77.9

$0.24 KGS 21.05

270.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 KGS 41.22

$0.33 KGS 29.18

42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 KGS 509

$7.74 KGS 677

-24.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 KGS 78.6

$0.96 KGS 83.8

-6.25%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$18.0K KGS 1.6M

66.93%

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

$33.3K KGS 2.9M

$17.1K KGS 1.5M

94.56%

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

$50.3 KGS 4,397

$39.76 KGS 3,476

26.48%

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

$5.86 KGS 512

$5.07 KGS 443

15.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.85 KGS 1,036

$9.35 KGS 817

26.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 KGS 4,738

$45.62 KGS 3,988

18.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 KGS 1,280

$19.86 KGS 1,736

-26.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 KGS 494

$3.49 KGS 305

61.89%

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

$222 KGS 19.4K

$165 KGS 14.4K

34.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,924 KGS 692.7K

$1,884 KGS 164.7K

320.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 KGS 4,822

$18.90 KGS 1,652

191.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.47 KGS 3,713

$36.08 KGS 3,155

17.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 KGS 8,049

$53.9 KGS 4,710

70.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 KGS 7,784

$50.9 KGS 4,451

74.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 KGS 51.7K

$359 KGS 31.4K

64.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 KGS 35.7K

$272 KGS 23.8K

50.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 KGS 95.5K

$926 KGS 80.9K

18.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 KGS 61.8K

$580 KGS 50.7K

21.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 KGS 155.1K

$1,240 KGS 108.4K

43.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 KGS 105.7K

$1,011 KGS 88.4K

19.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 KGS 44.1K

$303 KGS 26.5K

66.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

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

Last update for Bishkek: September 14, 2026

Last update for Osh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $591 in Bishkek and $359 in Osh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 66% 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 $23.00 in Osh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 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 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 66% 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: $591 in Bishkek versus $359 in Osh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Bishkek versus $165 in Osh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $715 in Osh versus $979 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 37% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.