Cost of Living Comparison Between Osh and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Osh and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $715 in Osh versus $979 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,151 in Osh versus $1,501 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Osh versus $2,022 in Bishkek.

Living in Osh costs roughly 27% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osh 48% lower, Bishkek 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 KGS 397

$6.88 KGS 601

-33.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.76 KGS 1,990

$28.57 KGS 2,498

-20.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 KGS 809

$5.87 KGS 513

57.58%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KGS 166

$2.50 KGS 218

-24.00%

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

$0.82 KGS 71.4

$0.76 KGS 66.5

7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 KGS 24.55

$0.40 KGS 35.10

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 KGS 96.8

$1.40 KGS 123

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 KGS 109

$1.92 KGS 168

-35.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KGS 77.9

$1.04 KGS 90.9

-14.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 KGS 30.21

$0.42 KGS 36.67

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 KGS 106

$1.65 KGS 145

-26.67%

Eggs

$1.44 KGS 126

$1.71 KGS 150

-15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 KGS 418

$7.42 KGS 649

-35.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 KGS 298

$4.59 KGS 402

-25.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 KGS 676

$8.93 KGS 781

-13.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 KGS 59.6

$1.35 KGS 118

-49.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 KGS 134

$1.89 KGS 166

-19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 KGS 193

$2.01 KGS 176

9.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 KGS 104

$1.57 KGS 137

-24.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 KGS 41.90

$0.61 KGS 53.7

-21.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 KGS 40.52

$0.47 KGS 41.40

-2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 KGS 55.0

$0.76 KGS 66.1

-17.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 KGS 59.8

$0.62 KGS 54.0

9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 KGS 184

$2.11 KGS 185

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 KGS 449

$9.02 KGS 788

-43.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 KGS 102

$1.41 KGS 123

-17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 KGS 144

$1.92 KGS 168

-14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.18

$0.24 KGS 21.06

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 KGS 1,034

$11.56 KGS 1,011

2.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

$0.89 KGS 77.9

-73.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 KGS 29.18

$0.47 KGS 41.22

-29.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 KGS 677

$5.82 KGS 509

32.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.8

$0.90 KGS 78.6

6.67%

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

$18.0K KGS 1.6M

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

-40.10%

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

$17.1K KGS 1.5M

$33.3K KGS 2.9M

-48.60%

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

$39.76 KGS 3,476

$50.3 KGS 4,397

-20.94%

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

$5.07 KGS 443

$5.86 KGS 512

-13.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 KGS 817

$11.85 KGS 1,036

-21.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.62 KGS 3,988

$54.2 KGS 4,738

-15.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.86 KGS 1,736

$14.65 KGS 1,280

35.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 KGS 305

$5.65 KGS 494

-38.23%

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

$165 KGS 14.4K

$222 KGS 19.4K

-25.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,884 KGS 164.7K

$7,924 KGS 692.7K

-76.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.90 KGS 1,652

$55.2 KGS 4,822

-65.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.08 KGS 3,155

$42.47 KGS 3,713

-15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 KGS 4,710

$92.1 KGS 8,049

-41.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 KGS 4,451

$89.0 KGS 7,784

-42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$359 KGS 31.4K

$591 KGS 51.7K

-39.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 KGS 23.8K

$409 KGS 35.7K

-33.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 KGS 80.9K

$1,092 KGS 95.5K

-15.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 KGS 50.7K

$707 KGS 61.8K

-17.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,240 KGS 108.4K

$1,774 KGS 155.1K

-30.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,011 KGS 88.4K

$1,208 KGS 105.7K

-16.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 KGS 26.5K

$504 KGS 44.1K

-39.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

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

Last update for Osh: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $359 in Osh and $591 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 66% 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 Osh vs $29.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $137 vs $176 per month, with Osh 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

Osh vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Osh is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 66% 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: $359 in Osh versus $591 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $165 in Osh versus $222 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $715 in Osh versus $979 in Bishkek, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Osh but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Osh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Osh 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, Osh 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 Osh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.