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: $736 in Oskemen versus $898 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,188 in Oskemen versus $1,371 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,639 in Oskemen versus $1,844 in Bishkek.

Living in Oskemen costs roughly 18% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Oskemen 45% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 ₸1,937

$6.20 KGS 542

-36.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.49 ₸9,061

$21.18 KGS 1,852

-12.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 ₸1,683

$5.81 KGS 508

-40.96%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₸980

$2.11 KGS 184

-5.21%

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

$0.80 ₸390

$0.67 KGS 58.7

19.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₸255

$0.33 KGS 28.67

57.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 ₸659

$1.17 KGS 103

14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₸710

$1.68 KGS 147

-13.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₸536

$0.87 KGS 76.5

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 ₸212

$0.50 KGS 43.39

-14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ₸560

$1.62 KGS 142

-29.63%

Eggs

$1.60 ₸782

$1.72 KGS 150

-6.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₸3,752

$7.96 KGS 696

-3.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 ₸2,142

$4.94 KGS 432

-11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ₸3,339

$8.08 KGS 707

-15.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 ₸564

$1.08 KGS 94.4

6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₸889

$1.90 KGS 166

-4.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₸1,168

$2.09 KGS 183

13.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₸1,258

$1.71 KGS 150

50.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ₸297

$0.55 KGS 47.85

10.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₸228

$0.53 KGS 46.67

-11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 ₸149

$0.59 KGS 52.0

-49.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₸359

$0.47 KGS 41.46

55.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 ₸975

$1.69 KGS 147

17.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.65 ₸2,278

$7.98 KGS 698

-41.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₸653

$1.20 KGS 105

10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₸734

$1.88 KGS 164

-20.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₸103

$0.24 KGS 21.03

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,029

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ₸497

$1.39 KGS 122

-27.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ₸142

$0.24 KGS 21.08

20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 ₸1,040

$3.53 KGS 308

-39.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸225

$0.83 KGS 72.6

-44.58%

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

$28.1K ₸13.8M

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

-26.15%

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

$27.0K ₸13.2M

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

-20.94%

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

$41.44 ₸20.3K

$34.27 KGS 2,996

20.92%

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

$9.96 ₸4,881

$6.76 KGS 591

47.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.59 ₸8,130

$11.77 KGS 1,029

40.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.36 ₸11.4K

$41.99 KGS 3,671

-44.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.33 ₸8,494

$15.78 KGS 1,380

9.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ₸2,146

$4.53 KGS 396

-3.31%

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

$58.3 ₸28.6K

$196 KGS 17.2K

-70.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,510 ₸1.2M

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

-44.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 ₸58.3K

$37.04 KGS 3,238

221.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.8 ₸40.6K

$40.11 KGS 3,507

106.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ₸48.0K

$94.8 KGS 8,291

3.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 ₸46.0K

$102 KGS 8,901

-7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₸162.3K

$486 KGS 42.5K

-31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 ₸108.3K

$370 KGS 32.3K

-40.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 ₸263.3K

$916 KGS 80.1K

-41.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 ₸229.2K

$626 KGS 54.7K

-25.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,008 ₸494.2K

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

-38.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 ₸381.1K

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

-32.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$751 ₸368.2K

$479 KGS 41.8K

56.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

-5.94%

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

Last update for Oskemen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Oskemen and $486 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oskemen pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Oskemen vs $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $170 per month, with Oskemen 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

Oskemen vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oskemen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Oskemen pays 57% more on average, 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: $331 in Oskemen versus $486 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $58.3 in Oskemen versus $196 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 $18.00 versus $21.00 in Bishkek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $736 in Oskemen versus $898 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 22% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.