Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Tashkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Tashkent

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $898 in Bishkek versus $955 in Tashkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,371 in Bishkek versus $1,472 in Tashkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,844 in Bishkek versus $1,989 in Tashkent.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 6% less than in Tashkent, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Tashkent 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 KGS 542

$4.75 UZS 56.9K

30.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.18 KGS 1,852

$31.85 UZS 381.2K

-33.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$4.77 UZS 57.1K

21.80%

Cappuccino

$2.11 KGS 184

$1.92 UZS 23.0K

9.90%

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

$0.67 KGS 58.7

$0.59 UZS 7,068

13.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.67

$0.25 UZS 2,979

32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$1.39 UZS 16.7K

-15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$3.86 UZS 46.1K

-56.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$1.06 UZS 12.7K

-17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.39

$0.41 UZS 4,928

21.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 KGS 142

$1.68 UZS 20.1K

-3.57%

Eggs

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.43 UZS 17.1K

20.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 KGS 696

$7.64 UZS 91.5K

4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$3.70 UZS 44.2K

33.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 KGS 707

$8.64 UZS 103.3K

-6.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 KGS 94.4

$1.31 UZS 15.7K

-17.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.76 UZS 21.1K

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 183

$2.22 UZS 26.6K

-5.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$1.45 UZS 17.4K

17.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 47.85

$0.48 UZS 5,696

14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 KGS 46.67

$0.31 UZS 3,760

70.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 52.0

$0.57 UZS 6,799

3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.46

$0.40 UZS 4,816

17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 KGS 147

$2.03 UZS 24.3K

-16.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 KGS 698

$6.79 UZS 81.2K

17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 KGS 105

$1.08 UZS 12.9K

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KGS 164

$3.06 UZS 36.6K

-38.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.03

$0.15 UZS 1,798

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$11.20 UZS 134.1K

5.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 KGS 122

$0.76 UZS 9,111

82.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.08

$0.31 UZS 3,752

-22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 308

$3.48 UZS 41.6K

1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.6

$1.00 UZS 12.0K

-17.00%

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

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

$19.7K UZS 235.2M

93.93%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$25.3K UZS 302.4M

35.17%

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

$34.27 KGS 2,996

$44.94 UZS 537.7K

-23.74%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$3.69 UZS 44.1K

83.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$11.52 UZS 137.8K

2.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,671

$45.68 UZS 546.6K

-8.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 KGS 1,380

$13.58 UZS 162.5K

16.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 KGS 396

$5.33 UZS 63.8K

-15.01%

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

$196 KGS 17.2K

$295 UZS 3.5M

-33.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

$9,001 UZS 107.7M

-49.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 KGS 3,238

$42.86 UZS 512.8K

-13.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KGS 3,507

$48.43 UZS 579.4K

-17.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,291

$103 UZS 1.2M

-8.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,901

$128 UZS 1.5M

-20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 KGS 42.5K

$625 UZS 7.5M

-22.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.3K

$409 UZS 4.9M

-9.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 KGS 80.1K

$1,184 UZS 14.2M

-22.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 KGS 54.7K

$736 UZS 8.8M

-14.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

$1,626 UZS 19.5M

1.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

$934 UZS 11.2M

24.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 KGS 41.8K

$660 UZS 7.9M

-27.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

22.07

-8.47%

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

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tashkent: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Bishkek and $625 in Tashkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tashkent pays 38% 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 $32.00 in Tashkent. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $162, with Tashkent 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 Tashkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Tashkent earns 38% less. 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: $486 in Bishkek versus $625 in Tashkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $196 in Bishkek versus $295 in Tashkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $898 in Bishkek versus $955 in Tashkent, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Tashkent. The gap between the two cities makes Bishkek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bishkek is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tashkent, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bishkek and Tashkent 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 Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Tashkent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.