Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Oskemen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Oskemen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Bishkek versus $754 in Oskemen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bishkek versus $1,215 in Oskemen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Bishkek versus $1,677 in Oskemen.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 20% more expensive than in Oskemen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Oskemen 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$3.95 ₸1,860

63.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 KGS 1,844

$18.61 ₸8,760

13.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 498

$3.58 ₸1,684

58.94%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KGS 181

$2.02 ₸952

2.48%

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

$0.63 KGS 55.4

$0.81 ₸379

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KGS 31.14

$0.49 ₸232

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$1.40 ₸661

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 KGS 149

$1.46 ₸686

17.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.3

$1.09 ₸515

-11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.37

$0.46 ₸217

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.15 ₸540

36.52%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 152

$1.55 ₸729

11.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 KGS 717

$7.57 ₸3,561

8.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 KGS 423

$4.61 ₸2,169

4.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 KGS 693

$7.07 ₸3,327

12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 KGS 98.1

$1.16 ₸545

-3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.82 ₸859

6.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KGS 185

$2.39 ₸1,127

-11.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 KGS 150

$2.50 ₸1,178

-31.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.44

$0.61 ₸285

-9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 KGS 43.48

$0.44 ₸205

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 KGS 48.27

$0.30 ₸143

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.53

$0.79 ₸370

-40.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$1.90 ₸893

-7.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 KGS 715

$4.80 ₸2,260

70.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 100

$1.29 ₸606

-10.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 166

$1.43 ₸672

32.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.21

$0.21 ₸98.8

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 KGS 123

$0.95 ₸446

48.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.29 ₸138

-17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$2.11 ₸996

58.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.5

$0.46 ₸214

84.78%

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

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

$28.6K ₸13.5M

29.90%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$27.1K ₸12.8M

23.59%

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

$34.63 KGS 3,027

$40.39 ₸19.0K

-14.26%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$9.55 ₸4,495

-29.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.94 KGS 1,044

$16.80 ₸7,910

-28.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 KGS 3,730

$23.36 ₸11.0K

82.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 KGS 1,395

$17.53 ₸8,251

-8.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 KGS 393

$4.33 ₸2,038

3.70%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$59.5 ₸28.0K

236.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

$2,502 ₸1.2M

81.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 KGS 3,300

$118 ₸55.6K

-68.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 KGS 3,522

$84.3 ₸39.7K

-52.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 KGS 8,395

$99.3 ₸46.7K

-3.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 KGS 9,128

$92.2 ₸43.4K

13.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 KGS 43.5K

$328 ₸154.5K

51.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.4K

$222 ₸104.7K

66.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 KGS 80.6K

$534 ₸251.6K

72.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 KGS 55.3K

$473 ₸222.9K

33.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

$1,060 ₸498.9K

68.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

$787 ₸370.5K

49.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$773 ₸363.8K

-36.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

6.32%

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

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Bishkek and $328 in Oskemen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oskemen pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Bishkek vs $19.00 in Oskemen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $164 per month, with Oskemen 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 Oskemen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oskemen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Oskemen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $498 in Bishkek versus $328 in Oskemen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Bishkek versus $59.5 in Oskemen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Oskemen – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $21.00 in Bishkek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $754 in Oskemen versus $901 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oskemen but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Oskemen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Oskemen 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 Oskemen 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 Oskemen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.