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: $889 in Bishkek versus $565 in Osh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Bishkek versus $952 in Osh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,847 in Bishkek versus $1,338 in Osh.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 57% 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

$6.46 KGS 566

$3.38 KGS 296

91.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.00 KGS 1,838

$14.78 KGS 1,294

42.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 KGS 489

$5.60 KGS 490

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.40 KGS 123

43.57%

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

$0.68 KGS 59.8

$0.70 KGS 61.0

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.56

$0.21 KGS 18.32

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 KGS 101

$1.22 KGS 107

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 KGS 146

$1.17 KGS 102

42.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.7

$0.89 KGS 77.6

7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KGS 40.11

$0.41 KGS 35.90

12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 138

$0.89 KGS 77.7

76.40%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.55 KGS 136

11.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 KGS 692

$5.83 KGS 511

35.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$4.69 KGS 411

5.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 KGS 698

$7.32 KGS 641

8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 KGS 96.5

$0.22 KGS 19.20

400.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 KGS 169

$0.88 KGS 76.8

119.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.80 KGS 245

-28.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 KGS 148

$1.11 KGS 97.2

52.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 KGS 47.41

$0.37 KGS 32.17

45.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 KGS 42.60

$0.36 KGS 31.13

36.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KGS 52.1

$0.22 KGS 19.22

172.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.25

$0.59 KGS 51.6

-20.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 KGS 155

$0.70 KGS 61.6

152.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 KGS 705

$5.00 KGS 438

61.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 KGS 102

$1.13 KGS 98.8

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.50 KGS 132

26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.25

$0.16 KGS 13.86

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 KGS 1,026

$23.07 KGS 2,019

-49.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 KGS 123

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.12

$0.19 KGS 16.51

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 KGS 295

$1.46 KGS 128

130.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.1

$0.83 KGS 72.8

2.41%

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

$38.4K KGS 3.4M

$22.7K KGS 2.0M

69.02%

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

$34.3K KGS 3.0M

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

$34.11 KGS 2,985

$37.72 KGS 3,301

-9.57%

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

$6.92 KGS 606

$4.08 KGS 357

69.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.63 KGS 1,017

$7.41 KGS 649

56.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,675

$25.80 KGS 2,258

62.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.56 KGS 1,362

$34.51 KGS 3,021

-54.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 KGS 392

$2.31 KGS 202

93.94%

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

$197 KGS 17.3K

$91.3 KGS 7,987

116.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,484 KGS 392.5K

$1,851 KGS 162.0K

142.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.79 KGS 3,307

$17.33 KGS 1,516

118.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.30 KGS 3,440

$22.97 KGS 2,010

71.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 KGS 8,378

$57.0 KGS 4,987

68.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 KGS 9,051

$46.45 KGS 4,065

122.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 KGS 43.9K

$369 KGS 32.3K

35.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 KGS 32.1K

$183 KGS 16.0K

100.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 KGS 78.7K

$738 KGS 64.6K

21.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 KGS 54.1K

$462 KGS 40.4K

33.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,609 KGS 140.8K

$1,245 KGS 109.0K

29.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 KGS 101.3K

$1,027 KGS 89.9K

12.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 KGS 40.3K

$304 KGS 26.6K

51.41%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Osh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Bishkek and $369 in Osh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 51% 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 $170 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 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bishkek pays 51% 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: $501 in Bishkek versus $369 in Osh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Bishkek versus $91.3 in Osh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Osh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 57% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.