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: $629 in Carthage versus $901 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,053 in Carthage versus $1,378 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,476 in Carthage versus $1,855 in Bishkek.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 30% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 53% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 TND 14.31

$6.44 KGS 563

-21.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.25 TND 71.5

$21.10 KGS 1,844

19.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 TND 14.34

$5.69 KGS 498

-11.07%

Cappuccino

$1.07 TND 3.04

$2.07 KGS 181

-48.31%

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

$0.71 TND 2.02

$0.63 KGS 55.4

12.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.73

$0.36 KGS 31.14

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 TND 4.88

$1.22 KGS 106

40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 TND 5.59

$1.71 KGS 149

15.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.47 TND 1.32

$0.96 KGS 84.3

-51.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.55

$0.50 KGS 43.37

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 TND 4.83

$1.57 KGS 137

8.28%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.65

$1.73 KGS 152

-5.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 TND 30.15

$8.20 KGS 717

29.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 TND 17.10

$4.84 KGS 423

24.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 TND 41.19

$7.93 KGS 693

83.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 TND 5.70

$1.12 KGS 98.1

79.46%

Banana (1kg)

$3.40 TND 9.63

$1.94 KGS 170

75.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.19

$2.11 KGS 185

-46.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.08

$1.72 KGS 150

-57.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.12

$0.55 KGS 48.44

36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 TND 1.84

$0.50 KGS 43.48

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.22

$0.55 KGS 48.27

-21.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.81

$0.47 KGS 41.53

-38.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 TND 9.71

$1.76 KGS 154

94.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 TND 19.51

$8.18 KGS 715

-15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TND 3.82

$1.15 KGS 100

17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.56

$1.89 KGS 166

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.92

$0.22 KGS 19.21

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 TND 20.93

$11.45 KGS 1,001

-35.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.91

$1.41 KGS 123

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$0.24 KGS 21.00

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 TND 9.65

$3.34 KGS 292

2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.32

$0.85 KGS 74.5

-3.53%

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

$41.4K TND 117.2K

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

11.13%

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

$36.0K TND 102.0K

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

7.31%

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

$45.15 TND 128

$34.63 KGS 3,027

30.38%

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

$9.42 TND 26.68

$6.76 KGS 591

39.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 TND 51.9

$11.94 KGS 1,044

53.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 TND 107

$42.67 KGS 3,730

-11.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.32 TND 37.74

$15.96 KGS 1,395

-16.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 TND 14.64

$4.49 KGS 393

15.14%

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

$109 TND 309

$200 KGS 17.5K

-45.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,309 TND 9,377

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

-27.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.19 TND 131

$37.74 KGS 3,300

22.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 TND 171

$40.29 KGS 3,522

49.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 TND 276

$96.0 KGS 8,395

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TND 186

$104 KGS 9,128

-37.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 475

$498 KGS 43.5K

-66.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TND 287

$370 KGS 32.4K

-72.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 TND 862

$922 KGS 80.6K

-67.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 676

$633 KGS 55.3K

-62.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$957 TND 2,712

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

-46.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 TND 1,773

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

-46.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 TND 764

$490 KGS 42.9K

-45.04%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $498 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 82% 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: $25.00 in Carthage vs $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $171 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 82% 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: $168 in Carthage versus $498 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $109 in Carthage versus $200 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $629 in Carthage versus $901 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 43% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.