Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Tashkent

For one person, living is cheaper in Bishkek: $980 a month against $1,038 in Tashkent, rent and utilities included – about $700 less a year. The total is higher in Tashkent despite lower rent and utilities.

48

Cost of Living Index in Bishkek
Learn more

Bishkek Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Tashkent
Learn more

Tashkent Living Index

Jump to prices

Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

$980

/mo nomad

Tashkent

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

$1,038

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bishkek and in Tashkent

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bishkek and in Tashkent actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $980 in Bishkek versus $1,038 in Tashkent.

Bishkek $980
Tashkent $1,038

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,503 in Bishkek versus $1,636 in Tashkent.

Bishkek $1,503
Tashkent $1,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Bishkek versus $2,234 in Tashkent.

Bishkek $2,026
Tashkent $2,234

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 6% less than in Tashkent, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 27% lower, Tashkent 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 KGS 614

$6.54 UZS 78.8K

7.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.73 KGS 2,513

$34.23 UZS 412.5K

-16.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 KGS 501

$5.12 UZS 61.7K

11.91%

Cappuccino

$2.40 KGS 210

$2.62 UZS 31.6K

-8.40%

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

$0.75 KGS 66.0

$0.71 UZS 8,593

5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.19

$0.33 UZS 3,921

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 KGS 123

$2.16 UZS 26.0K

-34.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 165

$3.79 UZS 45.7K

-50.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 KGS 90.1

$1.26 UZS 15.2K

-18.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 KGS 33.63

$0.86 UZS 10.4K

-55.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KGS 144

$1.64 UZS 19.8K

Eggs

$1.77 KGS 155

$1.78 UZS 21.4K

-0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 KGS 674

$7.93 UZS 95.5K

-2.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.51 KGS 395

$4.19 UZS 50.5K

7.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 KGS 787

$12.60 UZS 151.8K

-28.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.36 KGS 119

$1.53 UZS 18.5K

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KGS 165

$1.80 UZS 21.7K

4.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.32 UZS 28.0K

-13.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 KGS 134

$1.71 UZS 20.7K

-10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 KGS 50.8

$0.55 UZS 6,683

5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 KGS 41.73

$0.38 UZS 4,526

26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KGS 61.2

$1.03 UZS 12.4K

-32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 KGS 53.8

$0.48 UZS 5,799

27.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 KGS 177

$2.07 UZS 24.9K

-2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 KGS 803

$7.66 UZS 92.3K

19.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 KGS 124

$1.36 UZS 16.4K

4.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 KGS 176

$3.64 UZS 43.9K

-44.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.13

$0.16 UZS 1,937

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.78 KGS 1,031

$12.52 UZS 150.8K

-5.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 KGS 76.4

$0.81 UZS 9,790

7.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 KGS 41.43

$0.36 UZS 4,376

30.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 KGS 494

$3.30 UZS 39.8K

71.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 KGS 89.4

$1.15 UZS 13.9K

-11.30%

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

$30.0K KGS 2.6M

$16.6K UZS 200.4M

80.10%

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

$33.6K KGS 2.9M

$24.0K UZS 289.1M

39.92%

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

$50.2 KGS 4,393

$68.1 UZS 821.0K

-26.30%

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

$5.62 KGS 491

$4.49 UZS 54.1K

25.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

$13.64 UZS 164.4K

-13.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 KGS 4,813

$62.6 UZS 754.2K

-12.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.87 KGS 1,301

$18.78 UZS 226.3K

-20.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 KGS 497

$5.98 UZS 72.1K

-5.02%

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

$222 KGS 19.4K

$328 UZS 4.0M

-32.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,839 KGS 685.7K

$9,455 UZS 113.9M

-17.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 KGS 4,843

$49.10 UZS 591.7K

12.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 KGS 3,745

$58.8 UZS 708.4K

-27.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 KGS 7,841

$113 UZS 1.4M

-20.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 KGS 8,030

$140 UZS 1.7M

-34.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 KGS 53.5K

$600 UZS 7.2M

1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 KGS 35.8K

$382 UZS 4.6M

7.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 KGS 91.1K

$1,210 UZS 14.6M

-13.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 KGS 62.0K

$714 UZS 8.6M

-0.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,803 KGS 157.7K

$1,585 UZS 19.1M

13.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 KGS 107.0K

$945 UZS 11.4M

29.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 KGS 45.0K

$711 UZS 8.6M

-27.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.1

23.31

-13.77%

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

Last update for Bishkek: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tashkent: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bishkek

$410 41.8%

Tashkent

$382 36.8% 6.7% $27

Groceries & Markets

Bishkek

$177 18%

Tashkent

$195 18.8% 10.7% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Bishkek

$126 12.8%

Tashkent

$162 15.6% 28.9% $36

Eating Out

Bishkek

$118 12%

Tashkent

$122 11.7% 3.5% $4.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bishkek

$68 6.9%

Tashkent

$86 8.3% 27.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Bishkek

$66 6.8%

Tashkent

$75 7.2% 12.3% $8.2

Getting Around

Bishkek

$16 1.6%

Tashkent

$16 1.5% 0.7% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $612 in Bishkek and $600 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: $29.00 in Bishkek vs $34.00 in Tashkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $195 per month, with Bishkek cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇬 Bishkek

🇺🇿 Tashkent

🕒 Local time

06:16 6:16 AM

05:16 5:16 AM

1 h behind Bishkek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,012,500 Capital

2,956,384 Capital

💱 Currency

Kyrgyzstani Som KGS сом

Uzbekistani Som UZS soʻm

📈 Exchange rate

100 KGS = 1.14 USD

100 KGS = 1.02 EUR

100,000 UZS = 8.3 USD

100,000 UZS = 7.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UZS, USD, EUR to KGS – Kyrgyzstani Som Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstani Som (сом)

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 87.48 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 98.35 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

Uzbekistani Som exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 12,051 UZS (100,000 UZS = 8.3 USD). 1 EUR = 13,548 UZS (100,000 UZS = 7.38 EUR).

USD to KGS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bishkek Tashkent 470 km

From you

Bishkek
Tashkent

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Tashkent. 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: $612 in Bishkek versus $600 in Tashkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Bishkek versus $328 in Tashkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Tashkent. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $980 in Bishkek versus $1,038 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.