Cost of Living Comparison Between Oskemen and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Oskemen and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Oskemen versus $970 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Oskemen versus $1,500 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Oskemen versus $2,030 in Bishkek.

Living in Oskemen costs roughly 9% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Oskemen 36% lower, Bishkek 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.12 ₸5,977

$6.79 KGS 593

93.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.18 ₸11.9K

$28.78 KGS 2,516

-9.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₸1,803

$5.81 KGS 508

-31.84%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ₸1,547

$2.49 KGS 217

36.55%

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

$1.01 ₸462

$0.75 KGS 65.6

34.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₸242

$0.38 KGS 32.86

39.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 ₸703

$1.40 KGS 123

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₸752

$1.90 KGS 166

-13.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ₸644

$1.04 KGS 90.6

35.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₸242

$0.42 KGS 36.62

26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ₸607

$1.73 KGS 151

-23.12%

Eggs

$1.76 ₸800

$1.70 KGS 149

3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 ₸4,423

$7.45 KGS 651

30.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 ₸2,679

$4.71 KGS 412

24.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 ₸3,609

$8.56 KGS 748

-7.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ₸524

$1.41 KGS 123

-18.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ₸890

$1.79 KGS 157

8.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 ₸1,151

$2.02 KGS 177

25.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₸1,100

$1.55 KGS 135

56.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₸392

$0.59 KGS 51.2

45.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₸221

$0.47 KGS 41.52

2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 ₸156

$0.74 KGS 65.1

-54.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₸489

$0.58 KGS 50.7

84.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₸995

$2.02 KGS 176

7.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 ₸2,165

$9.27 KGS 811

-48.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₸652

$1.38 KGS 121

3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₸756

$2.00 KGS 175

-17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₸119

$0.24 KGS 21.05

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₸498

$0.83 KGS 72.8

31.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₸142

$0.48 KGS 41.87

-35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ₸1,100

$5.62 KGS 491

-56.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 ₸289

$0.96 KGS 83.9

-34.37%

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

$31.5K ₸14.4M

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

4.86%

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

$30.7K ₸14.0M

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

-6.15%

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

$44.52 ₸20.3K

$50.6 KGS 4,425

-12.03%

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

$11.31 ₸5,153

$5.81 KGS 508

94.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.60 ₸10.3K

$12.03 KGS 1,052

87.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 ₸11.8K

$54.3 KGS 4,748

-52.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 ₸8,949

$14.55 KGS 1,272

34.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 ₸2,230

$5.62 KGS 492

-12.81%

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

$65.9 ₸30.0K

$221 KGS 19.3K

-70.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,790 ₸1.3M

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

-63.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 ₸51.5K

$55.7 KGS 4,871

103.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.8 ₸36.8K

$43.80 KGS 3,830

84.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 ₸44.4K

$91.7 KGS 8,018

6.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ₸55.3K

$91.5 KGS 7,998

32.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₸152.9K

$580 KGS 50.7K

-42.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 ₸101.3K

$416 KGS 36.3K

-46.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₸292.1K

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

-40.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ₸260.6K

$717 KGS 62.7K

-20.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,109 ₸505.2K

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

-37.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 ₸366.9K

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

-32.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$784 ₸357.0K

$502 KGS 43.9K

56.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

20.22

-3.56%

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

Last update for Oskemen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in Oskemen and $580 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oskemen pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Oskemen vs $29.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $176, with Bishkek cheaper for home cooking.

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

Oskemen vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oskemen is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Oskemen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $336 in Oskemen versus $580 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $65.9 in Oskemen versus $221 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Oskemen – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $29.00 in Bishkek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $883 in Oskemen versus $970 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oskemen but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Oskemen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Oskemen 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, Oskemen 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 Oskemen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.