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: $970 in Bishkek versus $1,019 in Tashkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Bishkek versus $1,611 in Tashkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Bishkek versus $2,204 in Tashkent.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 5% less than in Tashkent, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 29% lower, Tashkent 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 KGS 593

$6.62 UZS 78.0K

2.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.78 KGS 2,516

$33.41 UZS 393.5K

-13.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 KGS 508

$5.06 UZS 59.6K

14.82%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KGS 217

$2.57 UZS 30.3K

-3.11%

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

$0.75 KGS 65.6

$0.70 UZS 8,240

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KGS 32.86

$0.27 UZS 3,144

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 123

$1.56 UZS 18.3K

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 166

$3.46 UZS 40.8K

-45.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.6

$1.25 UZS 14.8K

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KGS 36.62

$0.78 UZS 9,197

-46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.69 UZS 20.0K

2.37%

Eggs

$1.70 KGS 149

$1.89 UZS 22.3K

-10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 KGS 651

$8.49 UZS 100.0K

-12.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 KGS 412

$4.32 UZS 50.9K

9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.56 KGS 748

$12.82 UZS 151.0K

-33.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 123

$1.50 UZS 17.7K

-6.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 KGS 157

$1.88 UZS 22.2K

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 KGS 177

$2.38 UZS 28.0K

-15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KGS 135

$1.75 UZS 20.6K

-11.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.2

$0.57 UZS 6,686

3.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.52

$0.38 UZS 4,512

23.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 KGS 65.1

$1.02 UZS 12.0K

-27.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KGS 50.7

$0.46 UZS 5,399

26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 KGS 176

$2.05 UZS 24.1K

-1.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 KGS 811

$7.67 UZS 90.3K

20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 KGS 121

$1.40 UZS 16.4K

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 KGS 175

$3.61 UZS 42.5K

-44.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

$0.14 UZS 1,682

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

$12.80 UZS 150.8K

-10.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$0.81 UZS 9,574

2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 41.87

$0.33 UZS 3,925

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 KGS 491

$3.32 UZS 39.1K

69.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.9

$1.15 UZS 13.5K

-16.52%

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

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

$16.7K UZS 196.2M

80.57%

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

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

$24.9K UZS 293.5M

31.41%

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

$50.6 KGS 4,425

$67.1 UZS 790.4K

-24.56%

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

$5.81 KGS 508

$4.25 UZS 50.1K

36.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.03 KGS 1,052

$13.79 UZS 162.5K

-12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 KGS 4,748

$62.3 UZS 733.6K

-12.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 KGS 1,272

$18.22 UZS 214.7K

-20.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 KGS 492

$5.87 UZS 69.1K

-4.26%

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

$221 KGS 19.3K

$322 UZS 3.8M

-31.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

$9,791 UZS 115.3M

-21.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 KGS 4,871

$52.4 UZS 616.9K

6.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 KGS 3,830

$60.3 UZS 710.1K

-27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 KGS 8,018

$109 UZS 1.3M

-16.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 KGS 7,998

$136 UZS 1.6M

-32.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KGS 50.7K

$598 UZS 7.0M

-3.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 KGS 36.3K

$380 UZS 4.5M

9.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

$1,205 UZS 14.2M

-10.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 KGS 62.7K

$729 UZS 8.6M

-1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

$1,679 UZS 19.8M

5.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

$965 UZS 11.4M

23.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 KGS 43.9K

$773 UZS 9.1M

-35.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

23.31

-13.26%

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

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tashkent: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Bishkek and $598 in Tashkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tashkent pays 54% 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 $33.00 in Tashkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $199 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 Tashkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 54% 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: $580 in Bishkek versus $598 in Tashkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $221 in Bishkek versus $322 in Tashkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Tashkent. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $970 in Bishkek versus $1,019 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 5% less than in Tashkent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.