Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaganda and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaganda and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $752 in Karaganda versus $898 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,187 in Karaganda versus $1,371 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,623 in Karaganda versus $1,844 in Bishkek.

Living in Karaganda costs roughly 16% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karaganda 44% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 ₸4,180

$6.20 KGS 542

37.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.67 ₸14.5K

$21.18 KGS 1,852

40.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₸2,437

$5.81 KGS 508

-14.46%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₸907

$2.11 KGS 184

-12.32%

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

$0.70 ₸343

$0.67 KGS 58.7

4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₸228

$0.33 KGS 28.67

42.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ₸467

$1.17 KGS 103

-18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ₸1,473

$1.68 KGS 147

79.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 ₸463

$0.87 KGS 76.5

8.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₸215

$0.50 KGS 43.39

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 ₸638

$1.62 KGS 142

-19.75%

Eggs

$1.73 ₸845

$1.72 KGS 150

0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.48 ₸4,644

$7.96 KGS 696

19.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₸2,079

$4.94 KGS 432

-14.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 ₸3,555

$8.08 KGS 707

-10.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 ₸646

$1.08 KGS 94.4

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₸711

$1.90 KGS 166

-23.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸929

$2.09 KGS 183

-9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ₸971

$1.71 KGS 150

15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₸273

$0.55 KGS 47.85

1.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ₸200

$0.53 KGS 46.67

-22.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ₸486

$0.59 KGS 52.0

67.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₸372

$0.47 KGS 41.46

61.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 ₸878

$1.69 KGS 147

5.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 ₸3,857

$7.98 KGS 698

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₸487

$1.20 KGS 105

-17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₸807

$1.88 KGS 164

-12.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₸108

$0.24 KGS 21.03

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 ₸5,666

$11.77 KGS 1,029

-1.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ₸872

$1.39 KGS 122

28.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ₸222

$0.24 KGS 21.08

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ₸2,148

$3.53 KGS 308

24.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 ₸219

$0.83 KGS 72.6

-45.78%

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

$19.0K ₸9.3M

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

-50.13%

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

$25.1K ₸12.3M

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

-26.51%

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

$53.9 ₸26.4K

$34.27 KGS 2,996

57.28%

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

$8.04 ₸3,941

$6.76 KGS 591

18.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.00 ₸6,372

$11.77 KGS 1,029

10.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.29 ₸15.8K

$41.99 KGS 3,671

-23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.76 ₸5,764

$15.78 KGS 1,380

-25.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 ₸2,191

$4.53 KGS 396

-1.32%

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

$240 ₸117.4K

$196 KGS 17.2K

22.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,875 ₸2.4M

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

8.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 ₸27.2K

$37.04 KGS 3,238

49.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.64 ₸17.5K

$40.11 KGS 3,507

-11.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 ₸42.5K

$94.8 KGS 8,291

-8.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 ₸41.1K

$102 KGS 8,901

-17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ₸163.0K

$486 KGS 42.5K

-31.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₸102.9K

$370 KGS 32.3K

-43.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 ₸279.0K

$916 KGS 80.1K

-37.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₸195.8K

$626 KGS 54.7K

-36.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$977 ₸478.5K

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

-40.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 ₸319.8K

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

-43.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 ₸256.2K

$479 KGS 41.8K

9.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.12

20.2

-20.20%

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

Last update for Karaganda: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in Karaganda and $486 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karaganda pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Karaganda vs $21.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $170 vs $170, with Karaganda 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

Karaganda vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaganda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Karaganda pays 9% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $333 in Karaganda versus $486 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Karaganda versus $196 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $752 in Karaganda versus $898 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaganda but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Karaganda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karaganda 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, Karaganda 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 Karaganda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.