Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Bishkek

For one person, living is cheaper in Carthage: $693 a month against $980 in Bishkek, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Carthage
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$693
/mo nomad
Bishkek
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
$980
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Carthage and in Bishkek

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Carthage and in Bishkek actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $693 in Carthage versus $980 in Bishkek.

  • Carthage $693
  • Bishkek $980

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,100 in Carthage versus $1,503 in Bishkek.

  • Carthage $1,100
  • Bishkek $1,503

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,508 in Carthage versus $2,026 in Bishkek.

  • Carthage $1,508
  • Bishkek $2,026

Living in Carthage costs roughly 29% less than in Bishkek, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 49% lower, Bishkek 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.09 TND 12.26
$7.02 KGS 614
-41.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.71 TND 68.0
$28.73 KGS 2,513
-20.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.89 TND 17.65
$5.73 KGS 501
2.79%
Cappuccino
$1.15 TND 3.44
$2.40 KGS 210
-52.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 TND 2.20
$0.75 KGS 66.0
-2.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 TND 0.88
$0.40 KGS 35.19
-27.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.70 TND 5.08
$1.41 KGS 123
20.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 TND 6.14
$1.89 KGS 165
8.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.49 TND 1.46
$1.03 KGS 90.1
-52.43%
White Bread (500g)
$0.26 TND 0.78
$0.38 KGS 33.63
-31.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.78 TND 5.33
$1.64 KGS 144
8.54%
Eggs
$1.84 TND 5.50
$1.77 KGS 155
3.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 TND 30.56
$7.70 KGS 674
32.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.74 TND 17.21
$4.51 KGS 395
27.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.42 TND 43.20
$9.00 KGS 787
60.22%
Apples (1kg)
$1.31 TND 3.92
$1.36 KGS 119
-3.68%
Banana (1kg)
$3.65 TND 10.93
$1.88 KGS 165
94.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.17 TND 3.49
$2.01 KGS 176
-41.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.83 TND 2.48
$1.53 KGS 134
-45.75%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 TND 2.70
$0.58 KGS 50.8
55.17%
Onion (1kg)
$0.69 TND 2.07
$0.48 KGS 41.73
43.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.53 TND 1.60
$0.70 KGS 61.2
-24.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 TND 1.03
$0.61 KGS 53.8
-44.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.59 TND 10.75
$2.02 KGS 177
77.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.62 TND 19.82
$9.18 KGS 803
-27.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 TND 3.68
$1.42 KGS 124
-13.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 TND 3.72
$2.01 KGS 176
-38.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.43 TND 1.30
$0.22 KGS 19.13
95.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.96 TND 41.82
$11.78 KGS 1,031
18.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 TND 0.92
$0.87 KGS 76.4
-64.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 TND 1.03
$0.47 KGS 41.43
-27.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.78 TND 5.34
$5.65 KGS 494
-68.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 TND 2.63
$1.02 KGS 89.4
-13.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.9K TND 119.4K
$30.0K KGS 2.6M
33.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K TND 106.1K
$33.6K KGS 2.9M
5.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.22 TND 135
$50.2 KGS 4,393
-9.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.23 TND 27.63
$5.62 KGS 491
64.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.98 TND 62.9
$11.77 KGS 1,029
78.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.18 TND 96.4
$55.0 KGS 4,813
-41.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.26 TND 39.70
$14.87 KGS 1,301
-10.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.17 TND 15.49
$5.68 KGS 497
-8.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$104 TND 311
$222 KGS 19.4K
-53.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,218 TND 9,637
$7,839 KGS 685.7K
-58.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.72 TND 131
$55.4 KGS 4,843
-21.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 TND 178
$42.81 KGS 3,745
38.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 TND 340
$89.6 KGS 7,841
26.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.7 TND 203
$91.8 KGS 8,030
-26.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$211 TND 633
$612 KGS 53.5K
-65.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 TND 463
$410 KGS 35.8K
-62.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$209 TND 625
$1,041 KGS 91.1K
-79.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 TND 815
$708 KGS 62.0K
-61.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$972 TND 2,911
$1,803 KGS 157.7K
-46.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$622 TND 1,862
$1,224 KGS 107.0K
-49.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Carthage
Bishkek
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$269 TND 807
$514 KGS 45.0K
-47.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.28
20.1
-48.86%

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

Last update for Carthage: October 10, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Carthage
$194
Bishkek
$177 9% $17
Accommodation & Living
Carthage
$154
Bishkek
$410 165% $255
Clothing & Footwear
Carthage
$128
Bishkek
$126 1.6% $2.1
Eating Out
Carthage
$81
Bishkek
$118 45.3% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Carthage
$75
Bishkek
$68 10.4% $7.8
Sport & Entertainment
Carthage
$43
Bishkek
$66 56.1% $24
Getting Around
Carthage
$18
Bishkek
$16 10.3% $1.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $211 in Carthage and $612 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 91% 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: $23.00 in Carthage vs $29.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $177, with Bishkek cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Carthage
🇰🇬 Bishkek
🕒 Local time
08:21 8:21 AM
13:21 1:21 PM
5 h ahead of Carthage
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
21,276
1,012,500 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KGS, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 87.48 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 98.35 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Carthage Bishkek 5,390 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Carthage
  • Bishkek

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Bishkek cheaper than Carthage?
Carthage is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and leisure. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Carthage or Bishkek?
On paper, salaries run 91% 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.
What is the rent difference between Carthage and Bishkek?
Rent for a central apartment: $211 in Carthage versus $612 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $104 in Carthage versus $222 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Carthage and in Bishkek?
Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Carthage or in Bishkek?
At $693 in Carthage versus $980 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.
Is Carthage or Bishkek more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Carthage or Bishkek?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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