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: $867 in Bishkek versus $572 in Osh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Bishkek versus $956 in Osh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,822 in Bishkek versus $1,340 in Osh.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 51% more expensive than in Osh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 35% lower, Osh 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 KGS 537

$3.38 KGS 296

81.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.32 KGS 1,864

$14.80 KGS 1,294

44.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 KGS 499

$5.78 KGS 505

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$2.01 KGS 175

$1.33 KGS 116

51.13%

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

$0.68 KGS 59.8

$0.69 KGS 60.6

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KGS 30.79

$0.21 KGS 18.35

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 KGS 103

$1.19 KGS 104

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$1.18 KGS 104

42.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 KGS 83.1

$0.94 KGS 81.8

1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.73

$0.42 KGS 36.48

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 135

$0.94 KGS 81.9

64.89%

Eggs

$1.80 KGS 157

$1.53 KGS 134

17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$5.86 KGS 512

37.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 KGS 423

$4.49 KGS 393

7.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 KGS 691

$7.47 KGS 653

5.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 KGS 93.9

$0.24 KGS 21.11

345.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 KGS 162

$0.88 KGS 76.9

110.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$2.81 KGS 246

-25.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 KGS 154

$1.12 KGS 98.0

57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 KGS 51.0

$0.39 KGS 34.48

48.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 KGS 42.93

$0.35 KGS 31.02

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 51.5

$0.22 KGS 19.15

168.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.39

$0.59 KGS 51.9

-20.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.75 KGS 153

$0.72 KGS 62.9

143.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 KGS 700

$5.17 KGS 452

54.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 KGS 105

$1.12 KGS 97.8

8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 KGS 172

$1.48 KGS 129

33.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.14

$0.16 KGS 13.96

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.51 KGS 1,006

$22.42 KGS 1,960

-48.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 KGS 116

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 KGS 19.22

$0.20 KGS 17.90

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 KGS 302

$1.44 KGS 126

139.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 KGS 69.8

$0.84 KGS 73.4

-4.76%

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

$37.0K KGS 3.2M

$23.1K KGS 2.0M

60.55%

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

$34.5K KGS 3.0M

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

$33.77 KGS 2,952

$36.81 KGS 3,218

-8.26%

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

$6.72 KGS 587

$4.18 KGS 365

60.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.89 KGS 1,039

$7.52 KGS 657

58.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 KGS 3,678

$25.77 KGS 2,253

63.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.98 KGS 1,397

$34.86 KGS 3,048

-54.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 KGS 391

$2.34 KGS 205

91.03%

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

$198 KGS 17.3K

$90.4 KGS 7,906

119.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,596 KGS 401.8K

$1,876 KGS 164.0K

144.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.96 KGS 3,319

$17.48 KGS 1,528

117.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.57 KGS 3,460

$22.67 KGS 1,982

74.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 KGS 8,117

$56.6 KGS 4,952

63.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,941

$44.89 KGS 3,924

127.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 KGS 43.2K

$377 KGS 32.9K

31.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 KGS 32.2K

$184 KGS 16.1K

99.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 KGS 79.1K

$754 KGS 65.9K

19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 KGS 55.7K

$458 KGS 40.0K

39.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,750 KGS 153.0K

$1,254 KGS 109.7K

39.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,196 KGS 104.6K

$1,047 KGS 91.5K

14.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$309 KGS 27.0K

58.63%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Osh: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $494 in Bishkek and $377 in Osh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 59% 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 $138 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 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 59% 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: $494 in Bishkek versus $377 in Osh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Bishkek versus $90.4 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.

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 51% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.