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: $979 in Bishkek versus $898 in Struga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Bishkek versus $1,355 in Struga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,022 in Bishkek versus $1,812 in Struga.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 9% more expensive than in Struga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 28% lower, Struga 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 KGS 601

$7.42 MKD 395

-7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.57 KGS 2,498

$30.35 MKD 1,614

-5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 KGS 513

$5.47 MKD 291

7.31%

Cappuccino

$2.50 KGS 218

$1.57 MKD 83.7

59.24%

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

$0.76 KGS 66.5

$1.89 MKD 100

-59.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.10

$1.25 MKD 66.7

-68.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$2.76 MKD 147

-49.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KGS 168

$3.35 MKD 178

-42.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.9

$1.29 MKD 68.8

-19.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.67

$0.75 MKD 39.67

-44.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KGS 145

$1.59 MKD 84.4

3.77%

Eggs

$1.71 KGS 150

$2.09 MKD 111

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 KGS 649

$7.86 MKD 418

-5.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 KGS 402

$6.72 MKD 357

-31.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.93 KGS 781

$13.02 MKD 693

-31.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 KGS 118

$1.40 MKD 74.6

-3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 KGS 166

$1.40 MKD 74.2

35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.30 MKD 69.1

54.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.65 MKD 87.6

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 KGS 53.7

$0.83 MKD 44.39

-26.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.40

$0.86 MKD 45.79

-45.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 KGS 66.1

$0.65 MKD 34.53

16.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KGS 54.0

$0.58 MKD 30.77

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 KGS 185

$3.54 MKD 188

-40.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 KGS 788

$4.57 MKD 243

97.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 KGS 123

$1.09 MKD 58.0

29.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KGS 168

$1.54 MKD 81.8

24.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.06

$0.92 MKD 48.84

-73.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 KGS 1,011

$56.5 MKD 3,006

-79.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 KGS 77.9

$1.12 MKD 59.4

-20.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 KGS 41.22

$0.60 MKD 31.67

-21.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 KGS 509

$5.07 MKD 270

14.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 KGS 78.6

$1.51 MKD 80.3

-40.40%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$36.3K MKD 1.9M

-17.04%

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

$33.3K KGS 2.9M

$27.8K MKD 1.5M

19.73%

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

$50.3 KGS 4,397

$101 MKD 5,364

-50.14%

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

$5.86 KGS 512

$11.22 MKD 597

-47.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.85 KGS 1,036

$18.94 MKD 1,007

-37.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 KGS 4,738

$20.17 MKD 1,073

168.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 KGS 1,280

$12.07 MKD 642

21.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 KGS 494

$7.56 MKD 402

-25.26%

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

$222 KGS 19.4K

$124 MKD 6,571

79.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,924 KGS 692.7K

$1,650 MKD 87.7K

380.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 KGS 4,822

$86.9 MKD 4,622

-36.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.47 KGS 3,713

$31.90 MKD 1,696

33.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 KGS 8,049

$74.4 MKD 3,956

23.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 KGS 7,784

$55.1 MKD 2,929

61.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 KGS 51.7K

$280 MKD 14.9K

110.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 KGS 35.7K

$227 MKD 12.1K

79.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 KGS 95.5K

$451 MKD 24.0K

142.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 KGS 61.8K

$370 MKD 19.7K

91.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 KGS 155.1K

$1,552 MKD 82.5K

14.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,208 KGS 105.7K

$1,404 MKD 74.7K

-13.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$504 KGS 44.1K

$879 MKD 46.7K

-42.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

3.75

439.20%

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

Last update for Bishkek: September 14, 2026

Last update for Struga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $591 in Bishkek and $280 in Struga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Struga pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Bishkek vs $30.00 in Struga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $192 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 Struga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Struga is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 74% 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: $591 in Bishkek versus $280 in Struga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Bishkek versus $124 in Struga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $898 in Struga versus $979 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 9% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.