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: $565 in Osh versus $889 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Osh versus $1,368 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,338 in Osh versus $1,847 in Bishkek.

Living in Osh costs roughly 36% 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

$3.38 KGS 296

$6.46 KGS 566

-47.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.78 KGS 1,294

$21.00 KGS 1,838

-29.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 KGS 490

$5.59 KGS 489

0.18%

Cappuccino

$1.40 KGS 123

$2.01 KGS 176

-30.35%

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

$0.70 KGS 61.0

$0.68 KGS 59.8

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 KGS 18.32

$0.33 KGS 28.56

-36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 KGS 107

$1.16 KGS 101

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 KGS 102

$1.67 KGS 146

-29.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KGS 77.6

$0.96 KGS 83.7

-7.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KGS 35.90

$0.46 KGS 40.11

-10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 KGS 77.7

$1.57 KGS 138

-43.31%

Eggs

$1.55 KGS 136

$1.73 KGS 151

-10.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 KGS 511

$7.91 KGS 692

-26.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 KGS 411

$4.94 KGS 432

-5.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 KGS 641

$7.97 KGS 698

-8.16%

Apples (1kg)

$0.22 KGS 19.20

$1.10 KGS 96.5

-80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 KGS 76.8

$1.93 KGS 169

-54.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 KGS 245

$2.01 KGS 176

39.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KGS 97.2

$1.69 KGS 148

-34.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 KGS 32.17

$0.54 KGS 47.41

-31.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 KGS 31.13

$0.49 KGS 42.60

-26.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 KGS 19.22

$0.60 KGS 52.1

-63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 KGS 51.6

$0.47 KGS 41.25

25.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.70 KGS 61.6

$1.77 KGS 155

-60.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 KGS 438

$8.06 KGS 705

-37.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 KGS 98.8

$1.16 KGS 102

-2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 KGS 132

$1.90 KGS 166

-21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 KGS 13.86

$0.22 KGS 19.25

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 KGS 2,019

$11.72 KGS 1,026

96.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 KGS 123

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 KGS 16.51

$0.24 KGS 21.12

-20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 KGS 128

$3.37 KGS 295

-56.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$0.85 KGS 74.1

-2.35%

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

$22.7K KGS 2.0M

$38.4K KGS 3.4M

-40.83%

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

$34.3K KGS 3.0M

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

$37.72 KGS 3,301

$34.11 KGS 2,985

10.58%

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

$4.08 KGS 357

$6.92 KGS 606

-41.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.41 KGS 649

$11.63 KGS 1,017

-36.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.80 KGS 2,258

$41.99 KGS 3,675

-38.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.51 KGS 3,021

$15.56 KGS 1,362

121.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.31 KGS 202

$4.48 KGS 392

-48.44%

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

$91.3 KGS 7,987

$197 KGS 17.3K

-53.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,851 KGS 162.0K

$4,484 KGS 392.5K

-58.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.33 KGS 1,516

$37.79 KGS 3,307

-54.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.97 KGS 2,010

$39.30 KGS 3,440

-41.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.0 KGS 4,987

$95.7 KGS 8,378

-40.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.45 KGS 4,065

$103 KGS 9,051

-55.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 KGS 32.3K

$501 KGS 43.9K

-26.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 KGS 16.0K

$367 KGS 32.1K

-50.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 KGS 64.6K

$899 KGS 78.7K

-17.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KGS 40.4K

$618 KGS 54.1K

-25.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,245 KGS 109.0K

$1,609 KGS 140.8K

-22.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,027 KGS 89.9K

$1,157 KGS 101.3K

-11.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$304 KGS 26.6K

$461 KGS 40.3K

-33.95%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $369 in Osh and $501 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 51% 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 $170 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 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bishkek earns 51% 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: $369 in Osh versus $501 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $91.3 in Osh versus $197 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Bishkek. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Osh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 57% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.