Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $725 in Carthage versus $970 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,146 in Carthage versus $1,500 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Carthage versus $2,030 in Bishkek.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 25% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 47% lower, Bishkek 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 TND 13.19

$6.79 KGS 593

-32.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.03 TND 63.7

$28.78 KGS 2,516

-23.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 TND 17.23

$5.81 KGS 508

2.58%

Cappuccino

$1.06 TND 3.06

$2.49 KGS 217

-57.43%

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

$0.80 TND 2.32

$0.75 KGS 65.6

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$0.38 KGS 32.86

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 TND 4.88

$1.40 KGS 123

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 TND 6.14

$1.90 KGS 166

11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$1.04 KGS 90.6

-50.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 TND 0.72

$0.42 KGS 36.62

-40.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 TND 5.23

$1.73 KGS 151

4.62%

Eggs

$1.70 TND 4.92

$1.70 KGS 149

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 TND 30.15

$7.45 KGS 651

39.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.87 TND 16.97

$4.71 KGS 412

24.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 TND 42.81

$8.56 KGS 748

72.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 TND 4.10

$1.41 KGS 123

0.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 TND 11.16

$1.79 KGS 157

115.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 TND 3.31

$2.02 KGS 177

-43.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.15

$1.55 KGS 135

-52.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 TND 2.44

$0.59 KGS 51.2

42.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 TND 1.91

$0.47 KGS 41.52

40.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 TND 1.49

$0.74 KGS 65.1

-31.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.58 KGS 50.7

-46.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 TND 10.85

$2.02 KGS 176

85.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 TND 19.43

$9.27 KGS 811

-27.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 TND 3.82

$1.38 KGS 121

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TND 3.80

$2.00 KGS 175

-34.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 TND 1.29

$0.24 KGS 21.05

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.31 TND 41.39

$11.50 KGS 1,005

24.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.85

$0.83 KGS 72.8

-63.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.95

$0.48 KGS 41.87

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 TND 5.47

$5.62 KGS 491

-66.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 TND 2.61

$0.96 KGS 83.9

-6.25%

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

$41.1K TND 119.0K

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

36.82%

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

$36.7K TND 106.0K

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

11.95%

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

$47.11 TND 136

$50.6 KGS 4,425

-6.92%

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

$8.59 TND 24.84

$5.81 KGS 508

47.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.79 TND 60.1

$12.03 KGS 1,052

72.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.90 TND 95.2

$54.3 KGS 4,748

-39.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.55 TND 39.19

$14.55 KGS 1,272

-6.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 TND 14.71

$5.62 KGS 492

-9.43%

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

$114 TND 330

$221 KGS 19.3K

-48.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,928 TND 11.4K

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

-48.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 TND 148

$55.7 KGS 4,871

-8.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 TND 193

$43.80 KGS 3,830

52.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 TND 324

$91.7 KGS 8,018

22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 TND 176

$91.5 KGS 7,998

-33.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 TND 632

$580 KGS 50.7K

-62.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 TND 474

$416 KGS 36.3K

-60.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 TND 631

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

-79.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 TND 837

$717 KGS 62.7K

-59.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$989 TND 2,861

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

-44.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$648 TND 1,875

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

-45.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TND 803

$502 KGS 43.9K

-44.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.28

20.22

-49.16%

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

Last update for Carthage: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Carthage and $580 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 81% 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: $22.00 in Carthage vs $29.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $176, 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

Carthage vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carthage is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 81% 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: $219 in Carthage versus $580 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $114 in Carthage versus $221 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $725 in Carthage versus $970 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carthage but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Carthage the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Carthage 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, Carthage 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 Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.