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: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $966 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,507 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,048 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 7% lower, Bishkek 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$6.71 KGS 587

70.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$28.54 KGS 2,495

33.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$5.92 KGS 517

58.78%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.48 KGS 217

36.29%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.76 KGS 66.5

36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.40 KGS 35.31

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$1.33 KGS 117

103.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$1.98 KGS 173

53.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.04 KGS 90.8

118.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.41 KGS 35.89

92.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.71 KGS 150

-5.26%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.68 KGS 147

63.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$7.73 KGS 676

20.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$4.49 KGS 392

51.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$8.77 KGS 767

48.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$1.41 KGS 124

16.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.84 KGS 161

-0.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$2.09 KGS 182

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.61 KGS 141

59.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$0.57 KGS 49.90

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.47 KGS 41.24

38.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$0.70 KGS 61.5

94.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.60 KGS 52.5

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$2.08 KGS 182

63.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$8.88 KGS 776

-13.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.42 KGS 124

18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$1.92 KGS 168

23.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.24 KGS 21.10

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$11.57 KGS 1,012

34.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$0.87 KGS 76.5

31.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.48 KGS 42.17

54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$5.70 KGS 499

98.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.96 KGS 84.2

43.75%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$29.5K KGS 2.6M

-16.56%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

-34.25%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$50.6 KGS 4,422

75.43%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$5.62 KGS 491

134.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$11.88 KGS 1,038

65.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$55.9 KGS 4,886

22.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$14.46 KGS 1,264

24.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$5.74 KGS 501

11.85%

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

$372 ₾967

$223 KGS 19.5K

66.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$7,761 KGS 678.5K

39.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$56.3 KGS 4,923

85.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$43.86 KGS 3,835

-11.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$90.6 KGS 7,921

26.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$91.0 KGS 7,957

34.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$602 KGS 52.6K

13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$407 KGS 35.6K

11.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$1,098 KGS 96.0K

19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$700 KGS 61.2K

27.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$1,802 KGS 157.6K

32.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,182 KGS 103.3K

20.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$492 KGS 43.0K

30.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

20.22

-37.59%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $602 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 30% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $29.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 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

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 30% 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: $681 in Tbilisi versus $602 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $372 in Tbilisi versus $223 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $966 in Bishkek versus $1,279 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.