If you’re considering living in Bishkek, that’s great. Whether or not you love the place depends on why you want to move here. Three things made me move from London to Bishkek two years ago.
1. Beautiful Country
The natural grandeur of the mountains, with their snow-capped peaks glistening in the sunlight, was enchanting. I felt at peace in the big outdoors of the mountain range. Bishkek is not like other places in the world. Yes, London and Lagos, I’m looking at you.
2. Quietness
The second reason was the city’s quietness, which I compared to London and Lagos, where I had previously resided. I needed some peace and quiet to think and re-calibrate. I had trouble with my creativity and needed a space with fewer interruptions.
3. Low Cost of Living in Bishkek
The third reason I relocated here was the low cost of living. Compared to Bishkek, London is 474% more costly to live in. In real terms, in London, you’d need at least £6,715 to maintain the same standard of living as you can have with £1,415 in Bishkek.
Check out these sites to compare the cost of living in Bishkek to your city.
Two Years Living in Bishkek – Updates
Having lived here for two years, I want to share my insights with anyone considering visiting or moving to Central Asia.
Exploring Central Asia
The beautiful scenery attracted me, but I have not explored as much as I wanted. I might have left the busy city of London, but I still have a busy life.
As a Digital Nomad, I have a busy UK-based job; I am writing a book. This blog will not write itself, and I am a local university student learning to speak Russian. This takes most of my time, but I have not given up hope. As soon as the book is done, I intend to explore the region before jumping on my next project.
All For The Quiet Life
I absolutely live a quieter life here by choice. My local pals are frequently annoyed by my lack of attendance. I’ve pleaded for their patience because I’m experiencing calm for the first time in my life, and it’s the best feeling ever. If you want to unleash your creativity, living a quiet life and consciously practising mindfulness is ideal. A calmer mind equals less anxiety, less procrastination, and less perfectionism. My confidence is growing stronger.
Nothing beats learning to like your own company. It is the most liberating act someone can do. It means you’ll never have to put up with terrible friendships or relationships because you’re afraid of being alone.
You learn a lot about yourself. What you are good at, your preferences and pet peeves.
The Best Places To Go In Bishkek.
If you don’t fancy the Hermit lifestyle and want to venture out, Bishkek has a lot of great bars and restaurants, but it’s essential to know where you want to go before heading out. Bishkek is a great place for food, especially if you like meat.
If it’s local flavour and low prices that you’re after, then head south of town, where there are plenty of stalls selling traditional Kyrgyz dishes like manti (dumplings) or laghman noodles topped with meat or mushrooms.
Supara
Supara is, without a doubt, my favourite Kyrgyz restaurant. An Ethnocomplex that displays the Kyrgyz people’s nomadic lifestyle, culture, and traditions. My words cannot express how lovely this complex is. If you’re in the area, it’s worth stopping by to sample Kyrgyz cuisine and take in the surroundings.
If you’re looking for something fancy, head to the centre of Bishkek, where there are many excellent restaurants with English menus and prices that won’t break the bank.
Other Food Places – some of my favourites:
- Gandhi Restaurant (Indian) 41 Isanov Street
- Green Chicken (Korean) 20 Chyngyz Aitmatov Avenue
- Royal Fish (Kyrgyz) Chyngysh Baatyr, 1 Chui region
- Jalal Abad Restuarant (Kyrgyz) Togolok Moldo
- Furusato Korean Restuarant Bokonbayev Street
- Baan-Baan Thai Cafe (great for vegetarian and vegan dishes)
For $10 per person, you can eat out at a diner and get a drink and a dessert. The only thing that costs a lot is foreign beer or wine, which usually costs between $2 and $3 per bottle. Local beer, on the other hand, costs only $1.
There are many more moderately priced good food restaurants, but these are the ones I have enjoyed their food.
Making Friends In Bishkek
Making friends can be tricky. Most expats don’t hang out with each other because they don’t know who they can trust and who might try to take advantage of them.
You must be careful about who you trust and how much information you share online or in person about yourself and others.
The Real Cost of Living
If you are not from Bishkek, you should expect to pay more than the locals. Don’t be surprised if you must pay up to four times as much as a local. When I moved, I noticed this, and most of my foreign friends agreed that they have always had to pay more.
If you need to make big purchases, find a trusted local to help negotiate prices. Compensate them for their time and effort. Some will never take money from you, so buy them a lovely gift as a thank you.
Even with the extra, though, the cost of living here is still much lower than in any place in Europe.
My Bishkek flat is beautiful, big and fully furnished. It costs me about £350 a month. In London, the same apartment could cost me up to £3000.
Dental and Healthcare Cost
I visit the best dentist in Bishkek every six months for a 2-hour “Deluxe” Clean n Shine, which costs between £25 and £30 per visit. In London, I paid over £300 for the same service.
I have not needed to visit a clinic or hospital yet. As a foreigner, I cannot stress the importance of medical insurance, which should cover hospital bills.
Travel
Travel cost is also very reasonable. Bishkek has big and small buses. The price ranges from £0.20 to £0.40 a ride. Taxis are, on average, £2.00 a ride. Their version of Uber is Yandex.
Food and Produce
One can feast like a king on £70 to £100 monthly. Meat and poultry are expensive here. About the same price as you would get in the UK. The quality, though, is outstanding. You can taste the freshness in the food you buy here. Fresh produce is cheap.
Other Stuff to Note
The best way to find out the cost of things and compare it to your current cost of living is to visit the following sites.
It is also worth mentioning that I feel safe in Bishkek as a single female. I have had no safety or security issues in my two years here.
There is religious freedom here. The majority of locals are Muslims. There are not a lot of English speakers here. The predominant languages are Kyrgyz and Russian.
Final Thoughts
The last two years have, without a doubt, been the best two years of my life. Nothing beats having peace and calm while reconnecting with oneself. And doing all of this in such a gorgeous, remote region is an added plus.
In the coming weeks, I’ll write a blog on things I miss from my African and British backgrounds that don’t exist here. In other words, if you plan to relocate here, carry these items with you so you don’t have to rush back home.
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