Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Struga Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Struga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Bishkek versus $796 in Struga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bishkek versus $1,201 in Struga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Bishkek versus $1,607 in Struga.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 13% more expensive than in Struga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Struga 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$7.68 MKD 412

-16.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 KGS 1,844

$30.32 MKD 1,626

-30.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 498

$4.74 MKD 254

20.04%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KGS 181

$1.51 MKD 81.0

37.09%

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

$0.63 KGS 55.4

$1.71 MKD 91.6

-63.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KGS 31.14

$1.23 MKD 66.0

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$2.58 MKD 138

-52.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 KGS 149

$3.29 MKD 176

-48.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.3

$1.13 MKD 60.7

-15.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.37

$0.68 MKD 36.67

-26.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.72 MKD 92.5

-8.72%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 152

$2.07 MKD 111

-16.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 KGS 717

$6.85 MKD 367

19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 KGS 423

$5.75 MKD 309

-15.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 KGS 693

$9.47 MKD 508

-16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 KGS 98.1

$0.58 MKD 30.97

93.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.27 MKD 68.2

52.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KGS 185

$0.97 MKD 51.9

117.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.16 MKD 62.4

48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.44

$0.73 MKD 39.31

-24.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 KGS 43.48

$0.98 MKD 52.6

-48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 KGS 48.27

$0.54 MKD 29.02

1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.53

$0.36 MKD 19.43

30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$3.12 MKD 167

-43.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 KGS 715

$3.61 MKD 194

126.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 100

$1.06 MKD 56.7

8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 166

$1.01 MKD 54.1

87.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.21

$0.64 MKD 34.35

-65.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

$20.10 MKD 1,078

-43.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 KGS 123

$0.97 MKD 52.2

45.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.49 MKD 26.13

-51.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$7.60 MKD 408

-56.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.5

$1.48 MKD 79.3

-42.57%

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

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

$34.1K MKD 1.8M

9.03%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$29.8K MKD 1.6M

12.55%

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

$34.63 KGS 3,027

$91.3 MKD 4,896

-62.06%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$15.16 MKD 813

-55.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.94 KGS 1,044

$19.26 MKD 1,033

-38.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 KGS 3,730

$25.89 MKD 1,389

64.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 KGS 1,395

$22.67 MKD 1,216

-29.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 KGS 393

$6.59 MKD 353

-31.87%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$319 MKD 17.1K

-37.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

$1,221 MKD 65.5K

272.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 KGS 3,300

$78.7 MKD 4,220

-52.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 KGS 3,522

$28.26 MKD 1,516

42.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 KGS 8,395

$65.0 MKD 3,489

47.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 KGS 9,128

$37.43 MKD 2,008

178.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 KGS 43.5K

$280 MKD 15.0K

77.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.4K

$226 MKD 12.1K

64.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 KGS 80.6K

$390 MKD 20.9K

136.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 KGS 55.3K

$318 MKD 17.0K

99.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

$1,545 MKD 82.9K

15.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

$1,381 MKD 74.1K

-14.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$876 MKD 47.0K

-43.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

3.5

477.14%

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

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Last update for Struga: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Bishkek and $280 in Struga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Struga pays 79% 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 $30.00 in Struga. Groceries flip the comparison at $171 vs $156, with Struga cheaper for home cooking.

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 Struga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Struga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Struga. 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 $280 in Struga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Bishkek versus $319 in Struga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $796 in Struga versus $901 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Struga but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Struga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Struga 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 Struga 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 Struga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.