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: $1,019 in Tashkent versus $970 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,611 in Tashkent versus $1,500 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,204 in Tashkent versus $2,030 in Bishkek.

Living in Tashkent is roughly 5% more expensive than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tashkent 26% lower, Bishkek 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 UZS 78.0K

$6.79 KGS 593

-2.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.41 UZS 393.5K

$28.78 KGS 2,516

16.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 UZS 59.6K

$5.81 KGS 508

-12.91%

Cappuccino

$2.57 UZS 30.3K

$2.49 KGS 217

3.21%

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

$0.70 UZS 8,240

$0.75 KGS 65.6

-6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 UZS 3,144

$0.38 KGS 32.86

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 UZS 18.3K

$1.40 KGS 123

11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 UZS 40.8K

$1.90 KGS 166

82.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 UZS 14.8K

$1.04 KGS 90.6

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 UZS 9,197

$0.42 KGS 36.62

85.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 UZS 20.0K

$1.73 KGS 151

-2.31%

Eggs

$1.89 UZS 22.3K

$1.70 KGS 149

11.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 UZS 100.0K

$7.45 KGS 651

13.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 UZS 50.9K

$4.71 KGS 412

-8.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 UZS 151.0K

$8.56 KGS 748

49.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 UZS 17.7K

$1.41 KGS 123

6.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 UZS 22.2K

$1.79 KGS 157

5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 UZS 28.0K

$2.02 KGS 177

17.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 UZS 20.6K

$1.55 KGS 135

12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 UZS 6,686

$0.59 KGS 51.2

-3.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 UZS 4,512

$0.47 KGS 41.52

-19.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 UZS 12.0K

$0.74 KGS 65.1

37.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 UZS 5,399

$0.58 KGS 50.7

-20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 UZS 24.1K

$2.02 KGS 176

1.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 UZS 90.3K

$9.27 KGS 811

-17.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 UZS 16.4K

$1.38 KGS 121

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 UZS 42.5K

$2.00 KGS 175

80.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 UZS 1,682

$0.24 KGS 21.05

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.80 UZS 150.8K

$11.50 KGS 1,005

11.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 UZS 9,574

$0.83 KGS 72.8

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 UZS 3,925

$0.48 KGS 41.87

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 UZS 39.1K

$5.62 KGS 491

-40.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 UZS 13.5K

$0.96 KGS 83.9

19.79%

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

$16.7K UZS 196.2M

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

-44.62%

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

$24.9K UZS 293.5M

$32.7K KGS 2.9M

-23.90%

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

$67.1 UZS 790.4K

$50.6 KGS 4,425

32.56%

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

$4.25 UZS 50.1K

$5.81 KGS 508

-26.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.79 UZS 162.5K

$12.03 KGS 1,052

14.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 UZS 733.6K

$54.3 KGS 4,748

14.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.22 UZS 214.7K

$14.55 KGS 1,272

25.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 UZS 69.1K

$5.62 KGS 492

4.45%

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

$322 UZS 3.8M

$221 KGS 19.3K

45.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,791 UZS 115.3M

$7,696 KGS 672.8K

27.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 UZS 616.9K

$55.7 KGS 4,871

-6.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 UZS 710.1K

$43.80 KGS 3,830

37.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 UZS 1.3M

$91.7 KGS 8,018

19.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 UZS 1.6M

$91.5 KGS 7,998

48.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 UZS 7.0M

$580 KGS 50.7K

3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 UZS 4.5M

$416 KGS 36.3K

-8.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 UZS 14.2M

$1,075 KGS 94.0K

12.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$729 UZS 8.6M

$717 KGS 62.7K

1.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,679 UZS 19.8M

$1,773 KGS 155.0K

-5.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$965 UZS 11.4M

$1,195 KGS 104.4K

-19.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 UZS 9.1M

$502 KGS 43.9K

54.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.31

20.22

15.28%

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

Last update for Tashkent: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $598 in Tashkent and $580 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tashkent pays 54% 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: $33.00 in Tashkent vs $29.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $176 per month, with Bishkek 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

Tashkent vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 54% higher in Tashkent, 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: $598 in Tashkent versus $580 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $322 in Tashkent versus $221 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Tashkent. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $970 in Bishkek versus $1,019 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 5% less than in Tashkent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.