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: $696 in Calamba versus $901 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,181 in Calamba versus $1,378 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,665 in Calamba versus $1,855 in Bishkek.

Living in Calamba costs roughly 23% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calamba 48% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 ₱224

$6.44 KGS 563

-43.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.16 ₱810

$21.10 KGS 1,844

-37.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.58 ₱159

$5.69 KGS 498

-54.66%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₱147

$2.07 KGS 181

15.46%

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

$0.65 ₱40.01

$0.63 KGS 55.4

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₱24.98

$0.36 KGS 31.14

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 ₱64.6

$1.22 KGS 106

-13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱123

$1.71 KGS 149

16.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ₱115

$0.96 KGS 84.3

93.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱73.1

$0.50 KGS 43.37

138.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.57 KGS 137

-29.94%

Eggs

$2.29 ₱141

$1.73 KGS 152

32.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 ₱578

$8.20 KGS 717

14.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ₱235

$4.84 KGS 423

-21.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 ₱516

$7.93 KGS 693

5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₱164

$1.12 KGS 98.1

138.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₱115

$1.94 KGS 170

-4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ₱146

$2.11 KGS 185

12.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.5

$1.72 KGS 150

-32.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ₱112

$0.55 KGS 48.44

230.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$0.50 KGS 43.48

338.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₱42.08

$0.55 KGS 48.27

23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.36

$0.47 KGS 41.53

53.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₱207

$1.76 KGS 154

90.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 ₱540

$8.18 KGS 715

7.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₱63.8

$1.15 KGS 100

-9.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.89 KGS 166

23.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.88

$0.22 KGS 19.21

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 KGS 1,001

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$1.41 KGS 123

-38.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.53

$0.24 KGS 21.00

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ₱149

$3.34 KGS 292

-27.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.8

$0.85 KGS 74.5

35.29%

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

$32.0K ₱2.0M

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

-14.02%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

-38.47%

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

$147 ₱9,069

$34.63 KGS 3,027

325.35%

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

$34.10 ₱2,099

$6.76 KGS 591

404.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.99 ₱1,600

$11.94 KGS 1,044

117.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.44 ₱2,120

$42.67 KGS 3,730

-19.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.56 ₱281

$15.96 KGS 1,395

-71.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ₱348

$4.49 KGS 393

25.84%

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

$153 ₱9,390

$200 KGS 17.5K

-23.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,800 ₱295.5K

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

5.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.68 ₱3,058

$37.74 KGS 3,300

31.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.12 ₱1,670

$40.29 KGS 3,522

-32.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 ₱4,605

$96.0 KGS 8,395

-22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.97 ₱2,892

$104 KGS 9,128

-55.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ₱7,617

$498 KGS 43.5K

-75.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.2 ₱4,998

$370 KGS 32.4K

-78.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₱36.4K

$922 KGS 80.6K

-35.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.4K

$633 KGS 55.3K

-37.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$258 ₱15.9K

$490 KGS 42.9K

-47.41%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Calamba and $498 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 90% 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 $171, 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Bishkek. 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: $124 in Calamba versus $498 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $153 in Calamba versus $200 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 $696 in Calamba versus $901 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 29% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.