Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Tbilisi versus $893 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Tbilisi versus $1,365 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Tbilisi versus $1,837 in Bishkek.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 32% more expensive than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Bishkek 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₾29.33

$6.36 KGS 556

74.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$21.30 KGS 1,862

103.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.62

$5.57 KGS 487

53.50%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$2.03 KGS 178

46.31%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$0.68 KGS 59.8

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.33 KGS 28.74

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.87

$1.18 KGS 103

88.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.72

$1.69 KGS 147

72.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$0.95 KGS 83.0

107.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$0.46 KGS 40.35

58.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$1.63 KGS 143

11.66%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$1.82 KGS 159

36.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.26

$8.05 KGS 703

-4.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.58

$4.96 KGS 433

26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.12

$7.69 KGS 673

23.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$1.08 KGS 94.3

13.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.32

$1.86 KGS 163

-11.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$2.04 KGS 178

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.01

$1.76 KGS 154

28.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$0.54 KGS 47.62

24.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.78

$0.50 KGS 43.64

34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$0.55 KGS 48.08

121.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.50 KGS 44.07

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.72

$1.68 KGS 147

73.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.40

$8.23 KGS 719

-6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$1.16 KGS 101

33.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$1.97 KGS 172

12.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.22 KGS 19.19

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.78

$11.84 KGS 1,035

23.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$1.33 KGS 116

8.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.22 KGS 19.22

213.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.50

$3.53 KGS 308

108.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$0.84 KGS 73.7

35.71%

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

$18.2K ₾48.0K

$37.1K KGS 3.2M

-51.00%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$33.6K KGS 2.9M

-39.14%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$34.80 KGS 3,043

111.61%

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

$11.64 ₾30.78

$6.96 KGS 609

67.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.62

$11.90 KGS 1,041

48.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

$41.21 KGS 3,603

48.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.55

$16.12 KGS 1,410

4.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.69

$4.46 KGS 390

50.00%

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

$264 ₾698

$196 KGS 17.1K

34.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$4,464 KGS 390.2K

15.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$37.13 KGS 3,246

102.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$39.44 KGS 3,448

9.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$93.7 KGS 8,195

25.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$102 KGS 8,954

8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,866

$484 KGS 42.3K

45.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,220

$369 KGS 32.3K

25.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,486

$897 KGS 78.4K

46.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,064

$640 KGS 55.9K

22.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,512

$1,671 KGS 146.1K

47.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,725

$1,130 KGS 98.8K

24.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,778

$467 KGS 40.8K

44.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

20.2

-41.14%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $706 in Tbilisi and $484 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 44% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $170 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

Tbilisi vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $706 in Tbilisi versus $484 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $196 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $893 in Bishkek versus $1,178 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. 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 Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi 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 32% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.