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: $966 in Bishkek versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,507 in Bishkek versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,048 in Bishkek versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 30% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bishkek is 30% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 KGS 587

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

101.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.54 KGS 2,495

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-20.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 KGS 517

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

5.15%

Cappuccino

$2.48 KGS 217

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

-12.06%

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

$0.76 KGS 66.5

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-56.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.31

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 KGS 117

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-56.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KGS 173

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-53.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 KGS 90.8

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-35.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KGS 35.89

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-81.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 150

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

46.15%

Eggs

$1.68 KGS 147

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 KGS 676

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-56.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 KGS 392

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

10.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 KGS 767

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-28.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 124

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-61.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 KGS 161

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KGS 182

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 KGS 141

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 KGS 49.90

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-69.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 KGS 41.24

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-80.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KGS 61.5

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KGS 52.5

$0.54 Rp 9,560

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 KGS 182

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

-9.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 KGS 776

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-61.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 KGS 124

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KGS 168

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-37.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.10

$0.25 Rp 4,365

-4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 KGS 1,012

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

22.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 KGS 76.5

$0.49 Rp 8,631

77.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 42.17

$0.47 Rp 8,349

2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 KGS 499

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 84.2

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

18.52%

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

$29.5K KGS 2.6M

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

17.76%

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

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

7.69%

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

$50.6 KGS 4,422

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-38.85%

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

$5.62 KGS 491

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

-13.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.88 KGS 1,038

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

-36.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 KGS 4,886

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

1.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.46 KGS 1,264

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

-20.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 KGS 501

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

33.49%

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

$223 KGS 19.5K

$494 Rp 8.7M

-54.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,761 KGS 678.5K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

31.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 KGS 4,923

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

21.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.86 KGS 3,835

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

20.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 KGS 7,921

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

12.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 KGS 7,957

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 KGS 52.6K

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-45.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 KGS 35.6K

$693 Rp 12.2M

-41.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 KGS 96.0K

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-69.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 KGS 61.2K

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-59.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,802 KGS 157.6K

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-34.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,182 KGS 103.3K

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-48.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 KGS 43.0K

$167 Rp 2.9M

194.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

13.78

46.73%

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

Last update for Bishkek: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $602 in Bishkek and $1,114 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: $29.00 in Bishkek vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $294 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% 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: $602 in Bishkek versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Bishkek versus $494 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $966 in Bishkek versus $1,378 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 43% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.