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: $901 in Bishkek versus $928 in Tashkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bishkek versus $1,458 in Tashkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Bishkek versus $1,988 in Tashkent.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 3% less than in Tashkent, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 33% lower, Tashkent 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$4.76 UZS 57.3K

35.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 KGS 1,844

$31.02 UZS 373.0K

-31.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 498

$4.62 UZS 55.6K

23.16%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KGS 181

$1.88 UZS 22.6K

10.11%

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

$0.63 KGS 55.4

$0.63 UZS 7,555

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KGS 31.14

$0.27 UZS 3,274

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$1.42 UZS 17.0K

-14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 KGS 149

$3.88 UZS 46.6K

-55.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.3

$1.12 UZS 13.5K

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.37

$0.42 UZS 5,039

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.69 UZS 20.3K

-7.10%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 152

$1.45 UZS 17.4K

19.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 KGS 717

$7.59 UZS 91.3K

8.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 KGS 423

$3.85 UZS 46.3K

25.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 KGS 693

$8.66 UZS 104.2K

-8.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 KGS 98.1

$1.35 UZS 16.3K

-17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.67 UZS 20.1K

16.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KGS 185

$2.12 UZS 25.5K

-0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 KGS 150

$1.47 UZS 17.7K

17.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.44

$0.47 UZS 5,663

17.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 KGS 43.48

$0.34 UZS 4,143

47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 KGS 48.27

$0.56 UZS 6,762

-1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.53

$0.40 UZS 4,812

17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$1.98 UZS 23.8K

-11.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 KGS 715

$6.54 UZS 78.7K

25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 100

$1.12 UZS 13.4K

2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 166

$3.10 UZS 37.3K

-39.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.21

$0.17 UZS 2,095

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

$11.18 UZS 134.4K

2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 KGS 123

$0.81 UZS 9,784

74.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.29 UZS 3,448

-17.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$3.46 UZS 41.6K

-3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.5

$1.00 UZS 12.0K

-15.00%

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

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

$20.2K UZS 243.2M

83.99%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$25.0K UZS 300.2M

34.41%

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

$34.63 KGS 3,027

$44.62 UZS 536.6K

-22.39%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$3.64 UZS 43.8K

85.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.94 KGS 1,044

$11.78 UZS 141.7K

1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 KGS 3,730

$46.90 UZS 564.0K

-9.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 KGS 1,395

$13.37 UZS 160.8K

19.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 KGS 393

$5.31 UZS 63.8K

-15.44%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$292 UZS 3.5M

-31.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

$8,887 UZS 106.9M

-48.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 KGS 3,300

$44.29 UZS 532.7K

-14.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 KGS 3,522

$48.84 UZS 587.4K

-17.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 KGS 8,395

$99.7 UZS 1.2M

-3.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 KGS 9,128

$127 UZS 1.5M

-17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 KGS 43.5K

$626 UZS 7.5M

-20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.4K

$418 UZS 5.0M

-11.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 KGS 80.6K

$1,152 UZS 13.9M

-19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 KGS 55.3K

$737 UZS 8.9M

-14.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

$1,607 UZS 19.3M

10.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

$901 UZS 10.8M

30.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$678 UZS 8.1M

-27.63%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tashkent: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Bishkek and $626 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 $31.00 in Tashkent. Groceries flip the comparison at $171 vs $163, 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 3% 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: $498 in Bishkek versus $626 in Tashkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Bishkek versus $292 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 $901 in Bishkek versus $928 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 3% less than in Tashkent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.