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: $898 in Bishkek versus $708 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $1,133 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $1,557 in Surabaya.

Living in Bishkek is roughly 27% more expensive than Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

307.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$12.12 Rp 218.6K

74.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

85.62%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

15.93%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

11.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$0.26 Rp 4,648

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

-51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$4.02 Rp 72.4K

-58.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

-36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

-65.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

74.19%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

19.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$9.04 Rp 163.1K

-11.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$3.29 Rp 59.4K

50.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$8.45 Rp 152.5K

-4.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

-55.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

23.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

-4.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$1.42 Rp 25.7K

20.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-70.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$0.42 Rp 7,603

11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$2.54 Rp 45.8K

-33.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$24.78 Rp 446.9K

-67.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

-32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KGS 164

$3.14 Rp 56.7K

-40.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$0.48 Rp 8,572

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$9.40 Rp 169.6K

25.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$0.44 Rp 7,997

215.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.29 Rp 5,216

-17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$2.77 Rp 50.0K

27.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

-1.19%

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$20.6K Rp 372.2M

84.68%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$35.8K Rp 645.7M

-4.60%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-59.62%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

65.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$19.75 Rp 356.2K

-40.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$21.59 Rp 389.4K

94.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$4.57 Rp 82.4K

245.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

58.95%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$188 Rp 3.4M

4.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$9,556 Rp 172.3M

-52.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

-39.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$38.56 Rp 695.3K

4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

21.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

21.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$242 Rp 4.4M

100.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$135 Rp 2.4M

172.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$762 Rp 13.7M

20.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$393 Rp 7.1M

59.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$2,209 Rp 39.8M

-25.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$1,067 Rp 19.2M

8.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$276 Rp 5.0M

73.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

8.33

142.50%

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

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $242 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 74% 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 $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $226, 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bishkek pays 74% more on average, 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: $486 in Bishkek versus $242 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $188 in Surabaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 33% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $708 in Surabaya versus $898 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 27% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.