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: $528 in Calamba versus $970 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $775 in Calamba versus $1,500 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,021 in Calamba versus $2,030 in Bishkek.

Living in Calamba costs roughly 46% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calamba 62% lower, Bishkek 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 ₱245

$6.79 KGS 593

-42.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.20 ₱763

$28.78 KGS 2,516

-57.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.80 ₱175

$5.81 KGS 508

-51.81%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₱111

$2.49 KGS 217

-28.51%

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

$0.56 ₱35.07

$0.75 KGS 65.6

-25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₱19.98

$0.38 KGS 32.86

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ₱55.2

$1.40 KGS 123

-37.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₱102

$1.90 KGS 166

-13.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱105

$1.04 KGS 90.6

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$0.42 KGS 36.62

164.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱63.2

$1.73 KGS 151

-41.62%

Eggs

$2.10 ₱131

$1.70 KGS 149

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.05 ₱316

$7.45 KGS 651

-32.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 ₱210

$4.71 KGS 412

-28.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱482

$8.56 KGS 748

-10.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₱138

$1.41 KGS 123

56.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₱100

$1.79 KGS 157

-10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$2.02 KGS 177

14.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ₱65.4

$1.55 KGS 135

-32.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱106

$0.59 KGS 51.2

188.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 ₱108

$0.47 KGS 41.52

268.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₱41.13

$0.74 KGS 65.1

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.26

$0.58 KGS 50.7

-13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱184

$2.02 KGS 176

45.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 ₱541

$9.27 KGS 811

-6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₱56.8

$1.38 KGS 121

-34.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱125

$2.00 KGS 175

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.4

$0.83 KGS 72.8

-1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.65

$0.48 KGS 41.87

-47.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 ₱123

$5.62 KGS 491

-64.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ₱58.8

$0.96 KGS 83.9

-2.08%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

-27.57%

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

$19.3K ₱1.2M

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

-40.93%

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

$144 ₱8,992

$50.6 KGS 4,425

184.11%

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

$17.74 ₱1,110

$5.81 KGS 508

205.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.94 ₱1,497

$12.03 KGS 1,052

99.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 KGS 4,748

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 KGS 1,272

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 ₱320

$5.62 KGS 492

-8.90%

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

$135 ₱8,450

$221 KGS 19.3K

-38.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ₱684.6K

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

42.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.37 ₱1,836

$55.7 KGS 4,871

-47.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.59 ₱1,225

$43.80 KGS 3,830

-55.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 ₱4,462

$91.7 KGS 8,018

-22.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 ₱3,492

$91.5 KGS 7,998

-38.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 KGS 50.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 KGS 36.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 KGS 62.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 ₱16.3K

$502 KGS 43.9K

-48.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

20.22

-66.62%

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

Last update for Calamba: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Bishkek pays 93% 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: $12.00 in Calamba vs $29.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $176 per month, with Calamba 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

Calamba vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calamba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 93% 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.

Childcare runs $135 in Calamba versus $221 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 $12.00 versus $29.00 in Bishkek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $528 in Calamba versus $970 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 84% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.