Cost of Living Comparison Between Tashkent and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Tashkent and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $955 in Tashkent versus $898 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Tashkent versus $1,371 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,989 in Tashkent versus $1,844 in Bishkek.

Living in Tashkent is roughly 6% more expensive than Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tashkent 29% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 UZS 56.9K

$6.20 KGS 542

-23.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.85 UZS 381.2K

$21.18 KGS 1,852

50.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 UZS 57.1K

$5.81 KGS 508

-17.90%

Cappuccino

$1.92 UZS 23.0K

$2.11 KGS 184

-9.00%

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

$0.59 UZS 7,068

$0.67 KGS 58.7

-11.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 UZS 2,979

$0.33 KGS 28.67

-24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 UZS 16.7K

$1.17 KGS 103

18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 UZS 46.1K

$1.68 KGS 147

129.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 UZS 12.7K

$0.87 KGS 76.5

21.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 UZS 4,928

$0.50 KGS 43.39

-18.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 UZS 20.1K

$1.62 KGS 142

3.70%

Eggs

$1.43 UZS 17.1K

$1.72 KGS 150

-16.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 UZS 91.5K

$7.96 KGS 696

-4.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 UZS 44.2K

$4.94 KGS 432

-25.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 UZS 103.3K

$8.08 KGS 707

6.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 UZS 15.7K

$1.08 KGS 94.4

21.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 UZS 21.1K

$1.90 KGS 166

-7.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 UZS 26.6K

$2.09 KGS 183

6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UZS 17.4K

$1.71 KGS 150

-15.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 UZS 5,696

$0.55 KGS 47.85

-12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 UZS 3,760

$0.53 KGS 46.67

-41.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 UZS 6,799

$0.59 KGS 52.0

-3.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 UZS 4,816

$0.47 KGS 41.46

-14.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 UZS 24.3K

$1.69 KGS 147

20.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 UZS 81.2K

$7.98 KGS 698

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 UZS 12.9K

$1.20 KGS 105

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 UZS 36.6K

$1.88 KGS 164

62.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 UZS 1,798

$0.24 KGS 21.03

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.20 UZS 134.1K

$11.77 KGS 1,029

-4.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 UZS 9,111

$1.39 KGS 122

-45.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 UZS 3,752

$0.24 KGS 21.08

29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 UZS 41.6K

$3.53 KGS 308

-1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 UZS 12.0K

$0.83 KGS 72.6

20.48%

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

$19.7K UZS 235.2M

$38.1K KGS 3.3M

-48.44%

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

$25.3K UZS 302.4M

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

-26.02%

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

$44.94 UZS 537.7K

$34.27 KGS 2,996

31.14%

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

$3.69 UZS 44.1K

$6.76 KGS 591

-45.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 UZS 137.8K

$11.77 KGS 1,029

-2.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.68 UZS 546.6K

$41.99 KGS 3,671

8.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.58 UZS 162.5K

$15.78 KGS 1,380

-13.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.33 UZS 63.8K

$4.53 KGS 396

17.66%

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

$295 UZS 3.5M

$196 KGS 17.2K

50.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,001 UZS 107.7M

$4,510 KGS 394.3K

99.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.86 UZS 512.8K

$37.04 KGS 3,238

15.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.43 UZS 579.4K

$40.11 KGS 3,507

20.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 UZS 1.2M

$94.8 KGS 8,291

8.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 UZS 1.5M

$102 KGS 8,901

25.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 UZS 7.5M

$486 KGS 42.5K

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 UZS 4.9M

$370 KGS 32.3K

10.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 UZS 14.2M

$916 KGS 80.1K

29.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 UZS 8.8M

$626 KGS 54.7K

17.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,626 UZS 19.5M

$1,653 KGS 144.5K

-1.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$934 UZS 11.2M

$1,160 KGS 101.4K

-19.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$660 UZS 7.9M

$479 KGS 41.8K

37.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.07

20.2

9.26%

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

Last update for Tashkent: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $625 in Tashkent and $486 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tashkent pays 38% 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: $32.00 in Tashkent vs $21.00 in Bishkek. Groceries flip the comparison at $162 vs $170, with Tashkent 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

Tashkent vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tashkent pays 38% 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: $625 in Tashkent versus $486 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $295 in Tashkent versus $196 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Tashkent pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $898 in Bishkek versus $955 in Tashkent, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Tashkent. The gap between the two cities makes Bishkek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bishkek is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tashkent, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tashkent 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 Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Tashkent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.