Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Calamba and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $723 in Calamba versus $898 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,179 in Calamba versus $1,371 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,636 in Calamba versus $1,844 in Bishkek.

Living in Calamba costs roughly 20% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calamba 46% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 ₱221

$6.20 KGS 542

-42.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.48 ₱831

$21.18 KGS 1,852

-36.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.58 ₱159

$5.81 KGS 508

-55.59%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₱145

$2.11 KGS 184

11.37%

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

$0.69 ₱42.53

$0.67 KGS 58.7

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.83

$0.33 KGS 28.67

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₱61.9

$1.17 KGS 103

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.68 KGS 147

17.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ₱114

$0.87 KGS 76.5

112.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱74.5

$0.50 KGS 43.39

142.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.4

$1.62 KGS 142

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.20 ₱136

$1.72 KGS 150

27.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 ₱582

$7.96 KGS 696

18.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ₱229

$4.94 KGS 432

-24.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 ₱535

$8.08 KGS 707

7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$1.08 KGS 94.4

150.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ₱110

$1.90 KGS 166

-6.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱146

$2.09 KGS 183

12.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱75.2

$1.71 KGS 150

-28.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 ₱113

$0.55 KGS 47.85

232.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$0.53 KGS 46.67

313.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱42.15

$0.59 KGS 52.0

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.33

$0.47 KGS 41.46

63.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ₱203

$1.69 KGS 147

95.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 ₱534

$7.98 KGS 698

8.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₱63.3

$1.20 KGS 105

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.88 KGS 164

24.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.98

$0.24 KGS 21.03

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₱55.8

$1.39 KGS 122

-35.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.54

$0.24 KGS 21.08

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₱149

$3.53 KGS 308

-31.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱69.1

$0.83 KGS 72.6

34.94%

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

$31.3K ₱1.9M

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

-17.89%

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

$20.1K ₱1.2M

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

-41.20%

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

$144 ₱8,890

$34.27 KGS 2,996

320.72%

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

$34.60 ₱2,134

$6.76 KGS 591

411.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.46 ₱1,632

$11.77 KGS 1,029

124.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.99 ₱2,096

$41.99 KGS 3,671

-19.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱272

$15.78 KGS 1,380

-72.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 ₱358

$4.53 KGS 396

28.04%

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

$153 ₱9,416

$196 KGS 17.2K

-22.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,663 ₱287.5K

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

3.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.35 ₱3,043

$37.04 KGS 3,238

33.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.02 ₱1,728

$40.11 KGS 3,507

-30.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₱4,718

$94.8 KGS 8,291

-19.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.46 ₱2,926

$102 KGS 8,901

-53.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 ₱7,577

$486 KGS 42.5K

-74.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.2 ₱4,882

$370 KGS 32.3K

-78.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₱36.2K

$916 KGS 80.1K

-35.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ₱24.1K

$626 KGS 54.7K

-37.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,695 ₱166.2K

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

63.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,000 ₱61.6K

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

-13.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 ₱15.8K

$479 KGS 41.8K

-46.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

20.2

-77.72%

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

Last update for Calamba: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in Calamba and $486 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 86% 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: $13.00 in Calamba vs $21.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $170, with Bishkek 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

Calamba vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bishkek earns 86% less. 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: $123 in Calamba versus $486 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $153 in Calamba versus $196 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Calamba – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $21.00 in Bishkek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $723 in Calamba versus $898 in Bishkek, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calamba but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Calamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Calamba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bishkek, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calamba and Bishkek 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 Calamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.