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: $559 in Osh versus $886 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $935 in Osh versus $1,355 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,311 in Osh versus $1,825 in Bishkek.

Living in Osh costs roughly 37% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Osh 58% lower, Bishkek 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 KGS 303

$6.39 KGS 558

-45.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.84 KGS 1,297

$21.07 KGS 1,842

-29.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 KGS 496

$5.77 KGS 504

-1.73%

Cappuccino

$1.40 KGS 122

$2.01 KGS 176

-30.35%

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

$0.68 KGS 59.4

$0.64 KGS 56.3

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 KGS 20.13

$0.32 KGS 28.30

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 103

$1.17 KGS 102

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 KGS 103

$1.68 KGS 147

-29.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KGS 77.6

$0.89 KGS 77.9

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 KGS 33.86

$0.46 KGS 40.17

-15.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 KGS 76.6

$1.60 KGS 140

-45.00%

Eggs

$1.54 KGS 135

$1.79 KGS 156

-13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.63 KGS 492

$7.89 KGS 690

-28.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 KGS 404

$5.01 KGS 438

-7.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 KGS 658

$7.67 KGS 671

-1.83%

Apples (1kg)

$0.22 KGS 19.19

$1.06 KGS 92.6

-79.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KGS 81.3

$1.94 KGS 170

-52.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 KGS 249

$2.01 KGS 176

41.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 KGS 102

$1.74 KGS 152

-32.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 KGS 34.45

$0.59 KGS 51.7

-33.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 KGS 28.46

$0.49 KGS 42.77

-32.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 KGS 21.06

$0.59 KGS 51.4

-59.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 KGS 48.73

$0.48 KGS 41.72

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.71 KGS 62.4

$1.71 KGS 149

-58.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 KGS 445

$7.86 KGS 687

-35.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 KGS 101

$1.21 KGS 106

-4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KGS 126

$1.96 KGS 171

-26.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 KGS 12.76

$0.22 KGS 19.20

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.92 KGS 2,004

$11.60 KGS 1,014

97.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 KGS 121

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 KGS 14.79

$0.22 KGS 19.10

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 KGS 122

$3.53 KGS 309

-60.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 KGS 72.0

$0.85 KGS 74.1

-3.53%

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

$22.8K KGS 2.0M

$38.3K KGS 3.3M

-40.49%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

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

$36.85 KGS 3,222

$33.53 KGS 2,931

9.90%

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

$4.20 KGS 367

$6.94 KGS 607

-39.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.37 KGS 644

$11.95 KGS 1,045

-38.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.38 KGS 2,218

$42.58 KGS 3,722

-40.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 KGS 3,004

$15.95 KGS 1,394

115.49%

Cinema Ticket

$2.31 KGS 202

$4.56 KGS 399

-49.34%

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

$91.7 KGS 8,020

$201 KGS 17.6K

-54.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,924 KGS 168.2K

$4,559 KGS 398.6K

-57.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.36 KGS 1,518

$36.62 KGS 3,202

-52.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.51 KGS 1,968

$39.83 KGS 3,482

-43.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.8 KGS 4,961

$94.8 KGS 8,284

-40.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.12 KGS 4,032

$102 KGS 8,922

-54.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 KGS 32.8K

$484 KGS 42.3K

-22.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 KGS 15.9K

$365 KGS 31.9K

-50.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 KGS 65.6K

$911 KGS 79.6K

-17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 KGS 39.3K

$636 KGS 55.6K

-29.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,222 KGS 106.9K

$1,651 KGS 144.4K

-25.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,031 KGS 90.1K

$1,155 KGS 101.0K

-10.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$308 KGS 27.0K

$481 KGS 42.0K

-35.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

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

Last update for Osh: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Osh and $484 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 56% 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: $15.00 in Osh vs $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $137 vs $169 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bishkek earns 56% 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: $376 in Osh versus $484 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $91.7 in Osh versus $201 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $559 in Osh versus $886 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 58% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.