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Bishkek vs Osaka

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Bishkek, KG vs Osaka, JP at a glance — Osaka, JP is 271% more expensive than Bishkek, KG overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $850/mo versus $350/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 10%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Osaka, JP, you'd need

$278,476 / year

Osaka, JP is 271% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Osaka, JP vs Bishkek, KG)

  • Housing+411%
  • Food & groceries+227%
  • Transport+273%
  • Utilities+175%
  • Healthcare+240%
  • Goods & services+247%

◎ How Bishkek, KG and Osaka, JP compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Bishkek, KGOsaka, JP

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Bishkek, KGOsaka, JP
Cost of living
Overall cost index2696
Housing1892
Food3098
Transport2282
Utilities40110
Healthcare2585
Goods & services30104
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$350/mo$850/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$220/mo$600/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$700/mo$1,600/mo
Buy price / m² centre$900$6,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$3,862$1,040
Inexpensive meal$4$8
Monthly transit pass$12$60
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)10%45%
VAT / sales tax12%10%
Social security (employee)10%—
Corporate tax10%30%
Capital gains10%20.3%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$430/mo$2,600/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)—$50,183✓
Minimum wage$40/mo$1,300/mo
GDP per capita$3,081✓$35,951✓
Inflation (annual)8.2%✓3.2%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyLowLow
Coworking spaces825
Time zoneUTC+6UTC+9
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)5179
Safety index6282
Healthcare index4584
Pollution index7040
Internet speed45 Mbps230 Mbps
Walkability6080
Public transport4588
Family-friendly6072
Tap waterUse cautionSafe to drink
Health insurance$40/mo—
Life expectancy72 yr✓84 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceLowModerate
Climate
January avg-2 °C+6 °C
July avg+25 °C+28 °C
Sunny days / year322200
Rainfall / year450 mm1,300 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub4 h2 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Kyrgyzstan vs Japan. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Bishkek vs Osaka — in your currency

BishkekOsaka
1-bed rent, city centre$350$850
1-bed rent, outside centre$220$600
Inexpensive meal$4$8
Monthly transit pass$12$60
Utilities (monthly)$60$150

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Bishkek

Kyrgyzstan's leafy capital sits at the foot of the Tien Shan. A flat 10% tax, very low rents and big mountains on the doorstep are pulling in a small but growing remote-work crowd.

Currency
Kyrgyzstani som (с KGS)
Languages
Kyrgyz, Russian
Time zone
UTC+6
Internet
45 Mbps
English
Rarely spoken
Safety
62/100
Climate
❄ -2°C · ☀ 25°C · 322 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Bottled recommended
Power
C/F · 220V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Centre · Djal · Vostok-5

Good to know before you move to Osaka

Japan's warm, wisecracking second city and its street-food heart — cheaper and more laid-back than Tokyo, with the same safety, transit and reliability. The gateway to Kansai (Kyoto and Kobe are minutes away), it's an easy-going base with a big food and startup scene.

Currency
Japanese yen (¥ JPY)
Languages
Japanese
Time zone
UTC+9
Internet
230 Mbps
English
Rarely spoken
Safety
82/100
Climate
❄ 6°C · ☀ 28°C · 200 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 100V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Namba · Umeda · Tennoji · Nakazakicho

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Bishkek to Osaka: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Bishkek to Osaka, your cost of living will be roughly 271% more expensive. Osaka’s cost-of-living index is 96 versus 26 for Bishkek (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Bishkek cheaper than Osaka?

Osaka is about 271% more expensive than Bishkek overall — its cost-of-living index is 96 versus 26 for Bishkek.

Which is more expensive, Bishkek or Osaka?

Osaka is more expensive than Bishkek. Its cost-of-living index is 96 vs 26 (US = 100) — about 269% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Bishkek or Osaka?

Rent is cheaper in Bishkek — about $350/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $850 in Osaka.

How much do you need to earn in Osaka to live like in Bishkek?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Bishkek is worth about $278,476 in Osaka. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Bishkek or Osaka?

Kyrgyzstan has the lower top income-tax rate — 10% versus 45% in Japan.

◷ More comparisons from Bishkek

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.