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: $898 in Bishkek versus $736 in Oskemen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $1,188 in Oskemen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $1,639 in Oskemen.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 22% more expensive than Oskemen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Oskemen 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$3.95 ₸1,937

56.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$18.49 ₸9,061

14.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$3.43 ₸1,683

69.39%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$2.00 ₸980

5.50%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$0.80 ₸390

-16.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$0.52 ₸255

-36.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$1.34 ₸659

-12.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$1.45 ₸710

15.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$1.09 ₸536

-20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$0.43 ₸212

16.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$1.14 ₸560

42.11%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.60 ₸782

7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$7.66 ₸3,752

3.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$4.37 ₸2,142

13.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$6.81 ₸3,339

18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$1.15 ₸564

-6.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.81 ₸889

4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$2.38 ₸1,168

-12.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$2.57 ₸1,258

-33.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$0.61 ₸297

-9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$0.47 ₸228

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$0.30 ₸149

96.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$0.73 ₸359

-35.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$1.99 ₸975

-15.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$4.65 ₸2,278

71.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.33 ₸653

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KGS 164

$1.50 ₸734

25.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$0.21 ₸103

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$1.01 ₸497

37.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.29 ₸142

-17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$2.12 ₸1,040

66.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$0.46 ₸225

80.43%

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$28.1K ₸13.8M

35.41%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$27.0K ₸13.2M

26.49%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$41.44 ₸20.3K

-17.30%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$9.96 ₸4,881

-32.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$16.59 ₸8,130

-29.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$23.36 ₸11.4K

79.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$17.33 ₸8,494

-8.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$4.38 ₸2,146

3.42%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$58.3 ₸28.6K

236.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$2,510 ₸1.2M

79.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$119 ₸58.3K

-68.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$82.8 ₸40.6K

-51.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$98.0 ₸48.0K

-3.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$94.0 ₸46.0K

8.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$331 ₸162.3K

46.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$221 ₸108.3K

67.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$537 ₸263.3K

70.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$468 ₸229.2K

33.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$1,008 ₸494.2K

63.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$778 ₸381.1K

49.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$751 ₸368.2K

-36.30%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $331 in Oskemen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oskemen pays 57% 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 $18.00 in Oskemen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $162 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 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Oskemen earns 57% less. 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: $486 in Bishkek versus $331 in Oskemen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $58.3 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 $18.00 versus $21.00 in Bishkek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $736 in Oskemen versus $898 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 22% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.