Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Sao Luis Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Sao Luis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Bishkek versus $764 in Sao Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bishkek versus $1,164 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Bishkek versus $1,564 in Sao Luis.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 18% more expensive than in Sao Luis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Sao Luis 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$4.92 R$25.16

30.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 KGS 1,844

$30.38 R$155

-30.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 498

$7.40 R$37.83

-23.11%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KGS 181

$2.06 R$10.52

0.49%

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

$0.63 KGS 55.4

$0.96 R$4.89

-34.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KGS 31.14

$0.60 R$3.05

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$1.86 R$9.52

-34.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 KGS 149

$3.20 R$16.33

-46.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.3

$0.98 R$5.00

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.37

$1.88 R$9.62

-73.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$0.99 R$5.05

58.59%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 152

$1.87 R$9.53

-7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 KGS 717

$9.40 R$48.04

-12.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 KGS 423

$3.78 R$19.32

28.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 KGS 693

$7.37 R$37.67

7.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 KGS 98.1

$1.94 R$9.92

-42.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.27 R$6.49

52.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KGS 185

$0.99 R$5.07

113.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.35 R$6.92

27.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.44

$1.16 R$5.92

-52.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 KGS 43.48

$1.25 R$6.37

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 KGS 48.27

$0.77 R$3.95

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.53

$0.62 R$3.15

-24.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$2.05 R$10.48

-14.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 KGS 715

$7.96 R$40.70

2.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 100

$1.15 R$5.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 166

$1.92 R$9.80

-1.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.21

$0.77 R$3.95

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

$34.77 R$178

-67.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 KGS 123

$0.93 R$4.73

51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.49 R$2.50

-51.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$6.29 R$32.17

-46.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.5

$0.98 R$4.99

-13.27%

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

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

$17.0K R$87.1K

118.36%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$25.2K R$128.7K

33.20%

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

$34.63 KGS 3,027

$82.4 R$421

-57.99%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$17.31 R$88.5

-60.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.94 KGS 1,044

$16.28 R$83.2

-26.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 KGS 3,730

$18.44 R$94.2

131.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 KGS 1,395

$15.44 R$78.9

3.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 KGS 393

$6.24 R$31.91

-28.04%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$205 R$1,046

-2.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

$4,348 R$22.2K

4.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 KGS 3,300

$44.44 R$227

-15.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 KGS 3,522

$46.93 R$240

-14.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 KGS 8,395

$53.7 R$274

78.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 KGS 9,128

$53.7 R$275

94.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 KGS 43.5K

$388 R$1,982

28.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.4K

$208 R$1,061

78.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 KGS 80.6K

$519 R$2,652

77.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 KGS 55.3K

$299 R$1,531

111.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

$1,470 R$7,514

21.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

$715 R$3,655

64.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$375 R$1,916

30.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

10.92

84.98%

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

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Bishkek and $388 in Sao Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 31% 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 $30.00 in Sao Luis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $179 per month, with Bishkek 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 Sao Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Luis is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $498 in Bishkek versus $388 in Sao Luis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Bishkek versus $205 in Sao Luis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $764 in Sao Luis versus $901 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Luis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sao Luis 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 Sao Luis 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 Sao Luis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.