Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Surabaya and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $688 in Surabaya versus $970 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Surabaya versus $1,500 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Surabaya versus $2,030 in Bishkek.

Living in Surabaya costs roughly 29% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 50% lower, Bishkek 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

$6.79 KGS 593

-75.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

$28.78 KGS 2,516

-60.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

$5.81 KGS 508

-44.23%

Cappuccino

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$2.49 KGS 217

-37.35%

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

$0.56 Rp 9,841

$0.75 KGS 65.6

-25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,572

$0.38 KGS 32.86

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

$1.40 KGS 123

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

$1.90 KGS 166

130.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

$1.04 KGS 90.6

16.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$0.42 KGS 36.62

219.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$1.73 KGS 151

-50.29%

Eggs

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

$1.70 KGS 149

-28.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

$7.45 KGS 651

4.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

$4.71 KGS 412

-37.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

$8.56 KGS 748

-8.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

$1.41 KGS 123

43.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

$1.79 KGS 157

-25.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

$2.02 KGS 177

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

$1.55 KGS 135

-1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

$0.59 KGS 51.2

132.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

$0.47 KGS 41.52

310.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

$0.74 KGS 65.1

31.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,050

$0.58 KGS 50.7

-31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.02 KGS 176

-2.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

$9.27 KGS 811

173.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

$1.38 KGS 121

23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

$2.00 KGS 175

44.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 Rp 6,271

$0.24 KGS 21.05

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.50 KGS 1,005

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,334

$0.83 KGS 72.8

-43.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,293

$0.48 KGS 41.87

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

$5.62 KGS 491

-51.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.96 KGS 83.9

-16.67%

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

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

-17.85%

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

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

1.05%

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

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$50.6 KGS 4,425

75.70%

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

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

$5.81 KGS 508

-16.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

$12.03 KGS 1,052

64.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

$54.3 KGS 4,748

-65.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

$14.55 KGS 1,272

-55.05%

Cinema Ticket

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

$5.62 KGS 492

-52.85%

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

$286 Rp 5.0M

$221 KGS 19.3K

29.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

25.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

$55.7 KGS 4,871

27.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

$43.80 KGS 3,830

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$91.7 KGS 8,018

-11.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$91.5 KGS 7,998

-18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 Rp 5.1M

$580 KGS 50.7K

-50.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.6M

$416 KGS 36.3K

-64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

18.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 Rp 10.9M

$717 KGS 62.7K

-13.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

25.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

-10.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$502 KGS 43.9K

-44.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

20.22

-62.91%

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

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $290 in Surabaya and $580 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 81% 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: $11.00 in Surabaya vs $29.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 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

Surabaya vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surabaya is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 81% 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: $290 in Surabaya versus $580 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Surabaya 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 Surabaya – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $29.00 in Bishkek. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $688 in Surabaya versus $970 in Bishkek, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surabaya but tight or insufficient in Bishkek. The gap between the two cities makes Surabaya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Surabaya 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, Surabaya 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 Surabaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.