Cost of Living Comparison Between Monastir and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Monastir and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Monastir versus $899 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,094 in Monastir versus $1,354 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,510 in Monastir versus $1,808 in Bishkek.

Living in Monastir costs roughly 25% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Monastir 49% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 TND 11.57

$6.44 KGS 563

-38.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.15 TND 70.7

$21.38 KGS 1,869

12.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 TND 15.25

$5.64 KGS 493

-7.62%

Cappuccino

$0.88 TND 2.57

$2.06 KGS 180

-57.28%

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

$0.69 TND 2.02

$0.68 KGS 59.7

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$0.35 KGS 30.97

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 TND 4.85

$1.22 KGS 106

36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 TND 5.31

$1.73 KGS 151

4.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.47 TND 1.37

$0.96 KGS 83.7

-51.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 TND 0.44

$0.50 KGS 43.99

-70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 TND 5.06

$1.55 KGS 136

11.61%

Eggs

$1.56 TND 4.57

$1.76 KGS 154

-11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 TND 36.17

$7.92 KGS 692

56.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 TND 17.82

$4.86 KGS 425

25.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.05 TND 41.14

$7.90 KGS 691

77.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 TND 4.60

$1.07 KGS 93.3

46.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 TND 9.01

$1.93 KGS 169

59.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 TND 2.73

$2.02 KGS 177

-53.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.20

$1.68 KGS 147

-55.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.06

$0.59 KGS 51.3

18.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 TND 1.86

$0.53 KGS 46.08

20.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.25

$0.54 KGS 47.36

-20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.92

$0.50 KGS 44.01

-38.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 TND 9.80

$1.76 KGS 154

90.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 TND 15.05

$8.04 KGS 703

-36.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 TND 3.65

$1.16 KGS 101

7.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 TND 4.05

$1.96 KGS 171

-29.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.05

$0.24 KGS 21.06

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.43 TND 33.46

$11.76 KGS 1,028

-2.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.95

$1.39 KGS 122

-76.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.90

$0.24 KGS 21.00

29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 TND 9.86

$3.34 KGS 292

0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.40

$0.85 KGS 74.6

-3.53%

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

$40.3K TND 118.1K

$38.3K KGS 3.3M

5.29%

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

$36.3K TND 106.2K

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

8.28%

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

$57.8 TND 169

$34.83 KGS 3,045

65.92%

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

$10.03 TND 29.36

$6.71 KGS 587

49.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.26 TND 53.5

$11.55 KGS 1,010

58.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.02 TND 61.6

$41.93 KGS 3,666

-49.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 TND 20.16

$15.86 KGS 1,387

-56.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 TND 15.54

$4.70 KGS 411

12.98%

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

$107 TND 314

$200 KGS 17.5K

-46.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,171 TND 9,283

$4,517 KGS 394.9K

-29.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.00 TND 135

$36.81 KGS 3,218

24.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 TND 179

$40.25 KGS 3,519

51.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 TND 331

$96.1 KGS 8,401

17.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 TND 240

$102 KGS 8,900

-19.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 TND 594

$493 KGS 43.1K

-58.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 TND 403

$361 KGS 31.5K

-61.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 TND 1,395

$918 KGS 80.2K

-48.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 TND 808

$626 KGS 54.7K

-55.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,251 TND 3,661

$1,764 KGS 154.2K

-29.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 TND 1,796

$1,185 KGS 103.6K

-48.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$354 TND 1,035

$483 KGS 42.2K

-26.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-45.54%

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

Last update for Monastir: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Monastir and $493 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 37% 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: $24.00 in Monastir vs $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 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

Monastir vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monastir is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 37% 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: $203 in Monastir versus $493 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $107 in Monastir 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 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $678 in Monastir versus $899 in Bishkek, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Monastir but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Monastir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Monastir 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, Monastir 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 Monastir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.