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: $663 in Monastir versus $895 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Monastir versus $1,374 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,476 in Monastir versus $1,853 in Bishkek.

Living in Monastir costs roughly 26% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Monastir 51% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 TND 11.28

$6.31 KGS 553

-37.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 TND 67.6

$21.37 KGS 1,872

9.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 TND 14.78

$5.59 KGS 490

-8.23%

Cappuccino

$0.91 TND 2.62

$2.02 KGS 177

-54.95%

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

$0.69 TND 2.00

$0.64 KGS 56.5

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.90

$0.35 KGS 31.00

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 TND 4.97

$1.22 KGS 107

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 TND 5.28

$1.76 KGS 155

3.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.42

$0.90 KGS 79.1

-45.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 TND 0.44

$0.46 KGS 40.11

-67.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 TND 5.11

$1.58 KGS 138

12.66%

Eggs

$1.48 TND 4.27

$1.75 KGS 153

-15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.90 TND 34.29

$7.91 KGS 693

50.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 TND 16.81

$4.87 KGS 427

19.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 TND 39.98

$7.73 KGS 677

79.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 TND 4.40

$1.11 KGS 96.8

37.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 TND 8.79

$1.83 KGS 161

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 TND 2.87

$2.10 KGS 184

-52.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.03

$1.74 KGS 153

-59.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.19

$0.55 KGS 48.61

38.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 TND 1.67

$0.52 KGS 45.58

11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 TND 1.35

$0.54 KGS 47.62

-12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.82

$0.47 KGS 41.16

-38.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 TND 9.52

$1.69 KGS 148

95.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 TND 15.14

$8.09 KGS 708

-34.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 TND 3.44

$1.20 KGS 105

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 TND 3.83

$1.91 KGS 168

-30.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 TND 1.12

$0.22 KGS 19.21

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.34 TND 32.66

$11.46 KGS 1,004

-1.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.93

$1.39 KGS 122

-76.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$0.24 KGS 21.12

29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 TND 9.63

$3.48 KGS 305

-4.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 TND 2.35

$0.86 KGS 75.2

-5.81%

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

$41.3K TND 118.8K

$38.2K KGS 3.4M

7.86%

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

$35.9K TND 103.3K

$33.7K KGS 2.9M

6.53%

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

$58.0 TND 167

$34.34 KGS 3,008

68.78%

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

$10.35 TND 29.81

$7.03 KGS 616

47.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.65 TND 53.7

$11.62 KGS 1,018

60.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.73 TND 59.7

$42.18 KGS 3,695

-50.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 TND 19.26

$15.65 KGS 1,371

-57.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 TND 15.25

$4.51 KGS 395

17.52%

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

$105 TND 303

$195 KGS 17.1K

-46.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,223 TND 9,283

$4,562 KGS 399.7K

-29.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.22 TND 130

$37.93 KGS 3,323

19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 TND 176

$39.24 KGS 3,437

55.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 TND 325

$95.1 KGS 8,334

18.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 TND 239

$103 KGS 9,043

-19.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 TND 587

$500 KGS 43.8K

-59.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 TND 395

$361 KGS 31.6K

-61.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 TND 1,374

$907 KGS 79.4K

-47.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 TND 788

$634 KGS 55.6K

-56.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,284 TND 3,699

$1,657 KGS 145.1K

-22.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$648 TND 1,865

$1,165 KGS 102.0K

-44.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 TND 1,050

$448 KGS 39.2K

-18.57%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $204 in Monastir and $500 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 23% 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 in Monastir vs $21 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $168 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bishkek earns 23% less. 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: $204 in Monastir versus $500 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $105 in Monastir versus $195 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Monastir gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 35% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.