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: $750 in Karaganda versus $901 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Karaganda versus $1,378 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,617 in Karaganda versus $1,855 in Bishkek.

Living in Karaganda costs roughly 17% 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

$8.45 ₸3,976

$6.44 KGS 563

31.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.19 ₸13.7K

$21.10 KGS 1,844

38.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ₸2,337

$5.69 KGS 498

-12.65%

Cappuccino

$1.85 ₸872

$2.07 KGS 181

-10.63%

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

$0.65 ₸305

$0.63 KGS 55.4

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₸217

$0.36 KGS 31.14

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ₸475

$1.22 KGS 106

-17.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₸1,393

$1.71 KGS 149

73.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₸478

$0.96 KGS 84.3

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₸217

$0.50 KGS 43.37

-8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ₸582

$1.57 KGS 137

-21.02%

Eggs

$1.72 ₸810

$1.73 KGS 152

-0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 ₸4,533

$8.20 KGS 717

17.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 ₸2,007

$4.84 KGS 423

-11.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.18 ₸3,381

$7.93 KGS 693

-9.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₸614

$1.12 KGS 98.1

16.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ₸673

$1.94 KGS 170

-26.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₸929

$2.11 KGS 185

-6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 ₸907

$1.72 KGS 150

12.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₸279

$0.55 KGS 48.44

7.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸177

$0.50 KGS 43.48

-24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₸476

$0.55 KGS 48.27

83.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₸352

$0.47 KGS 41.53

59.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 ₸818

$1.76 KGS 154

-1.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 ₸3,774

$8.18 KGS 715

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₸470

$1.15 KGS 100

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₸796

$1.89 KGS 166

-10.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 ₸88.8

$0.22 KGS 19.21

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.90 ₸5,601

$11.45 KGS 1,001

3.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ₸810

$1.41 KGS 123

21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ₸201

$0.24 KGS 21.00

79.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 ₸2,082

$3.34 KGS 292

32.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 ₸227

$0.85 KGS 74.5

-43.53%

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

$19.2K ₸9.1M

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

-48.30%

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

$25.4K ₸11.9M

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

-24.34%

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

$54.0 ₸25.4K

$34.63 KGS 3,027

55.85%

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

$8.42 ₸3,963

$6.76 KGS 591

24.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.22 ₸6,221

$11.94 KGS 1,044

10.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.87 ₸15.0K

$42.67 KGS 3,730

-25.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ₸5,586

$15.96 KGS 1,395

-25.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 ₸2,146

$4.49 KGS 393

1.56%

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

$242 ₸114.0K

$200 KGS 17.5K

20.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,868 ₸2.3M

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

7.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 ₸26.1K

$37.74 KGS 3,300

47.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ₸16.5K

$40.29 KGS 3,522

-12.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 ₸41.9K

$96.0 KGS 8,395

-7.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 ₸40.5K

$104 KGS 9,128

-17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₸155.9K

$498 KGS 43.5K

-33.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₸98.7K

$370 KGS 32.4K

-43.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 ₸269.6K

$922 KGS 80.6K

-37.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ₸187.5K

$633 KGS 55.3K

-37.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$996 ₸469.0K

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

-44.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$684 ₸321.9K

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

-41.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 ₸251.0K

$490 KGS 42.9K

8.73%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Karaganda and $498 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: $29.00 in Karaganda vs $21.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $171 vs $171, 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.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Karaganda, 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: $331 in Karaganda versus $498 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $242 in Karaganda versus $200 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 $750 in Karaganda versus $901 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.