Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $970 in Bishkek versus $688 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Bishkek versus $1,205 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Bishkek versus $1,722 in Surabaya.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 41% more expensive than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 29% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 KGS 593

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

309.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.78 KGS 2,516

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

152.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

79.32%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KGS 217

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

59.62%

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

$0.75 KGS 65.6

$0.56 Rp 9,841

33.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KGS 32.86

$0.26 Rp 4,572

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 166

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

-56.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.6

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

-14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.62

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

-68.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KGS 151

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

101.16%

Eggs

$1.70 KGS 149

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

40.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 KGS 651

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

-4.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 KGS 412

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

59.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 KGS 748

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

8.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 123

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

-30.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 KGS 157

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

34.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 KGS 177

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 135

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.2

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

-56.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.52

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

-75.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KGS 65.1

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

-23.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KGS 50.7

$0.40 Rp 7,050

45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 KGS 176

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

3.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 KGS 811

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

-63.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 KGS 121

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

-19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 KGS 175

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

-30.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

$0.36 Rp 6,271

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$0.47 Rp 8,334

76.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 41.87

$0.47 Rp 8,293

2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 KGS 491

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

108.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.9

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

20.00%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

21.73%

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

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

-1.04%

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

$50.6 KGS 4,425

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

-43.08%

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

$5.81 KGS 508

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

20.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.03 KGS 1,052

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

-39.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 KGS 4,748

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

192.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 KGS 1,272

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

122.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 KGS 492

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

112.08%

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

$221 KGS 19.3K

$286 Rp 5.0M

-22.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

-20.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 KGS 4,871

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-21.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 KGS 3,830

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

10.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 KGS 8,018

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 KGS 7,998

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KGS 50.7K

$290 Rp 5.1M

100.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 KGS 36.3K

$150 Rp 2.6M

177.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

-15.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 KGS 62.7K

$618 Rp 10.9M

16.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

-20.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

11.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 KGS 43.9K

$277 Rp 4.9M

80.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

7.5

169.60%

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

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Bishkek and $290 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 81% 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: $29.00 in Bishkek vs $11.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $211, with Bishkek 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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 81% 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: $580 in Bishkek versus $290 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $221 in Bishkek versus $286 in Surabaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Surabaya – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $29.00 in Bishkek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $688 in Surabaya versus $970 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surabaya but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Surabaya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Surabaya 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 Surabaya 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 Surabaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.