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: $650 in Carthage versus $898 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,056 in Carthage versus $1,371 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,462 in Carthage versus $1,844 in Bishkek.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 28% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 52% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 TND 14.55

$6.20 KGS 542

-19.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.83 TND 75.0

$21.18 KGS 1,852

21.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 TND 15.14

$5.81 KGS 508

-10.15%

Cappuccino

$1.06 TND 3.08

$2.11 KGS 184

-49.76%

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

$0.70 TND 2.04

$0.67 KGS 58.7

4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 TND 0.82

$0.33 KGS 28.67

-15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 TND 4.87

$1.17 KGS 103

43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.57

$1.68 KGS 147

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$0.87 KGS 76.5

-43.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.58

$0.50 KGS 43.39

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 TND 5.04

$1.62 KGS 142

7.41%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.77

$1.72 KGS 150

-4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 TND 30.39

$7.96 KGS 696

31.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 TND 17.75

$4.94 KGS 432

23.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 TND 43.21

$8.08 KGS 707

84.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 TND 5.88

$1.08 KGS 94.4

87.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 TND 10.24

$1.90 KGS 166

85.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.26

$2.09 KGS 183

-46.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.14

$1.71 KGS 150

-56.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 TND 2.27

$0.55 KGS 47.85

41.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 TND 1.92

$0.53 KGS 46.67

24.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TND 1.34

$0.59 KGS 52.0

-22.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.47 KGS 41.46

-34.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 TND 10.32

$1.69 KGS 147

110.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 TND 22.59

$7.98 KGS 698

-2.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 TND 3.77

$1.20 KGS 105

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.65

$1.88 KGS 164

-32.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.03

$0.24 KGS 21.03

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 TND 21.08

$11.77 KGS 1,029

-38.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$1.39 KGS 122

-76.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$0.24 KGS 21.08

29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 TND 9.79

$3.53 KGS 308

-4.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.41

$0.83 KGS 72.6

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

$40.3K TND 117.1K

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

5.85%

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

$36.2K TND 105.1K

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

5.95%

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

$45.69 TND 133

$34.27 KGS 2,996

33.32%

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

$9.47 TND 27.50

$6.76 KGS 591

40.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 TND 55.0

$11.77 KGS 1,029

60.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.63 TND 109

$41.99 KGS 3,671

-10.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.48 TND 39.15

$15.78 KGS 1,380

-14.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 TND 15.41

$4.53 KGS 396

17.22%

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

$109 TND 316

$196 KGS 17.2K

-44.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,369 TND 9,781

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

-25.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.85 TND 130

$37.04 KGS 3,238

21.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 TND 178

$40.11 KGS 3,507

53.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 TND 282

$94.8 KGS 8,291

2.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 TND 191

$102 KGS 8,901

-35.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 487

$486 KGS 42.5K

-65.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.8 TND 290

$370 KGS 32.3K

-73.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 TND 874

$916 KGS 80.1K

-67.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 695

$626 KGS 54.7K

-61.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$867 TND 2,519

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

-47.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$413 TND 1,198

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

-64.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TND 807

$479 KGS 41.8K

-41.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

20.2

-45.74%

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

Last update for Carthage: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $486 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 72% 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: $26.00 in Carthage vs $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $170 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

Carthage vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carthage is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bishkek earns 72% 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: $168 in Carthage versus $486 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $109 in Carthage versus $196 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $650 in Carthage versus $898 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 38% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.