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: $702 in Surabaya versus $901 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,117 in Surabaya versus $1,378 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,532 in Surabaya versus $1,855 in Bishkek.

Living in Surabaya costs roughly 22% less than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surabaya 47% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$6.44 KGS 563

-75.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

$21.10 KGS 1,844

-42.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

$5.69 KGS 498

-46.40%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$2.07 KGS 181

-13.04%

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

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$0.63 KGS 55.4

1.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,048

$0.36 KGS 31.14

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

$1.22 KGS 106

96.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

$1.71 KGS 149

139.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$0.96 KGS 84.3

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$0.50 KGS 43.37

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$1.57 KGS 137

-40.13%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.73 KGS 152

-13.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

$8.20 KGS 717

12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

$4.84 KGS 423

-34.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

$7.93 KGS 693

2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

$1.12 KGS 98.1

115.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.94 KGS 170

-19.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$2.11 KGS 185

4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.72 KGS 150

-12.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

$0.55 KGS 48.44

141.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$0.50 KGS 43.48

246.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$0.55 KGS 48.27

116.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,091

$0.47 KGS 41.53

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$1.76 KGS 154

39.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

$8.18 KGS 715

207.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

$1.15 KGS 100

61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

$1.89 KGS 166

75.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 Rp 7,860

$0.22 KGS 19.21

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

$11.45 KGS 1,001

-17.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,592

$1.41 KGS 123

-65.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,615

$0.24 KGS 21.00

29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.34 KGS 292

-18.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.85 KGS 74.5

1.18%

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

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

-44.88%

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

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

4.45%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$34.63 KGS 3,027

139.56%

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

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

$6.76 KGS 591

-36.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

$11.94 KGS 1,044

64.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

$42.67 KGS 3,730

-48.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

$15.96 KGS 1,395

-71.24%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

$4.49 KGS 393

-36.08%

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

$186 Rp 3.3M

$200 KGS 17.5K

-7.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

$4,546 KGS 397.4K

110.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

$37.74 KGS 3,300

66.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

$40.29 KGS 3,522

-3.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

$96.0 KGS 8,395

-18.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

$104 KGS 9,128

-20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 Rp 4.4M

$498 KGS 43.5K

-50.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 Rp 2.4M

$370 KGS 32.4K

-63.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 Rp 14.2M

$922 KGS 80.6K

-14.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 Rp 7.2M

$633 KGS 55.3K

-37.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

$1,783 KGS 155.8K

23.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

$1,176 KGS 102.8K

-11.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$490 KGS 42.9K

-45.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

20.2

-58.76%

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

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Surabaya and $498 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 82% 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: $12.00 in Surabaya vs $21.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $171, 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 82% 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: $244 in Surabaya versus $498 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $186 in Surabaya versus $200 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bishkek pay roughly 33% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $702 in Surabaya versus $901 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 28% less than in Bishkek. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.