Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Bishkek versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,378 in Bishkek versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Bishkek versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 36% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bishkek is 33% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.44 KGS 563

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

86.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.10 KGS 1,844

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

-34.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 498

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

17.56%

Cappuccino

$2.07 KGS 181

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

-24.73%

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

$0.63 KGS 55.4

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-54.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 KGS 31.14

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 106

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

-59.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 KGS 149

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

-55.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.3

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 KGS 43.37

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-79.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

34.19%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 152

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

-28.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 KGS 717

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-43.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 KGS 423

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

11.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 KGS 693

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-33.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 KGS 98.1

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

-69.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

19.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KGS 185

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

-22.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 KGS 150

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

-23.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KGS 48.44

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-71.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 KGS 43.48

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-78.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 KGS 48.27

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-48.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.53

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-34.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 KGS 154

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-46.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 KGS 715

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-64.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 KGS 100

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-58.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 KGS 166

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.21

$0.27 Rp 4,765

-18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

41.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 KGS 123

$0.48 Rp 8,636

193.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.00

$0.42 Rp 7,511

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 KGS 292

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

-46.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.5

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

4.94%

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

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

39.85%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

4.23%

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

$34.63 KGS 3,027

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-55.80%

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

$6.76 KGS 591

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

66.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.94 KGS 1,044

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

-50.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 KGS 3,730

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-56.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.96 KGS 1,395

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

151.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 KGS 393

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

12.53%

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

$200 KGS 17.5K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-34.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

-31.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.74 KGS 3,300

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

-30.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 KGS 3,522

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

6.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 KGS 8,395

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

10.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 KGS 9,128

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

36.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 KGS 43.5K

$992 Rp 17.7M

-49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 KGS 32.4K

$673 Rp 12.0M

-44.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$922 KGS 80.6K

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-72.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 KGS 55.3K

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-69.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

-36.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

-47.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 KGS 42.9K

$167 Rp 3.0M

193.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

13.28

52.11%

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

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Bishkek and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 194% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Bishkek vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $297 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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 194% higher in Bishkek, 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: $498 in Bishkek versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $200 in Bishkek versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $901 in Bishkek versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. 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 Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bishkek and Ubud, Bali 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 56% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.