Moving to Kyrgyzstan from Turkey

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Turkey to Kyrgyzstan — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Turkey to Kyrgyzstan, you would find that Kyrgyzstan is 33.5% cheaper than Turkey overall. A TRY3,523,838 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly KGS4,557,919 in Kyrgyzstan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Kyrgyz and Russian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bishkek averages 90°F vs 64°F in Ankara, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Turkey to Kyrgyzstan.

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,523,838 KGS4,557,919

To maintain the same standard of living in Kyrgyzstan

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 23.0% less

Groceries

pay 12.1% less

Transportation

pay 46.7% less

Housing

pay 29.1% less

Childcare

pay 66.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 31.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 1.86 KGS (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Turkey to Kyrgyzstan, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1,021 ↓ 3% vs 2015

people born in Turkey live in Kyrgyzstan · UN DESA

Who's moving to Kyrgyzstan?

Top countries of origin for Kyrgyzstan's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Turkey and Kyrgyzstan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

TR
61%
KG
68%
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TR
6.5
KG
13.3

Turkey generally does better on safety, though Kyrgyzstan leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TR
$1,769
KG
$349
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
KG
21.5

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kyrgyzstan leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

TR
39.0
KG
88.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
KG
1.5t

Turkey generally does better on environment, though Kyrgyzstan leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TR
22.3
KG
5.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
KG
50.0%

Turkey performs better than Kyrgyzstan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
9.4%
KG
4.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
KG
$6,400

Turkey generally does better on employment & economy, though Kyrgyzstan leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TR
76.2 yrs
KG
72.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
KG
25.7

Turkey generally does better on family life, though Kyrgyzstan leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bishkek Rain: 17.8 in/yr (451 mm)
90° / 14°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara Bishkek
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 73°/-9°F (23°/-22°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 98°/28°F (36°/-2°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 105°/40°F (40°/5°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 83°/-5°F (28°/-21°C)
View all months
Month Ankara Bishkek
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 67°/-13°F (19.2°/-25.0°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 68°/-10°F (20.2°/-23.2°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 85°/-3°F (29.4°/-19.2°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 91°/18°F (33.0°/-7.5°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 96°/25°F (35.6°/-4.0°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 106°/40°F (40.9°/4.2°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 109°/50°F (42.8°/9.9°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 105°/39°F (40.5°/3.8°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 100°/32°F (37.9°/0.1°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 94°/12°F (34.2°/-11.2°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 82°/-10°F (27.9°/-23.3°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 72°/-17°F (22.1°/-27.1°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, Kyrgyzhydromet Kyrgyzhydromet

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan. To live, work, or study long-term in Kyrgyzstan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Kyrgyzstan's immigration authority.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Kyrgyzstan

Visa Free
Turkey passport holders can enter Kyrgyzstan without a visa.
Kyrgyzstan passport

Kyrgyzstan passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
Kyrgyzstan passport holders can enter Turkey without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Kyrgyzstan than Turkey?

Generally yes: Kyrgyzstan runs about 31% cheaper than Turkey on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Kyrgyzstan?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a TRY3,523,838 comparable salary, that's around KGS1,139,480 in Kyrgyzstan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Kyrgyzstan?

With 5.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Kyrgyzstan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Turkey and Kyrgyzstan.

Is Kyrgyzstan safe for expats?

Turkey generally does better on safety, though Kyrgyzstan leads in feel safe walking at night. About 68% of people in Kyrgyzstan feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Kyrgyzstan compared to Turkey?

Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kyrgyzstan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 21.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Kyrgyzstan, compared to 21.7 in Turkey. Kyrgyzstan scores 69 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

What's the weather like in Kyrgyzstan compared to Turkey?

The average high temperature in Bishkek is 90°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Bishkek receives around 17.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in Kyrgyzstan?

The official languages in Kyrgyzstan are Kyrgyz and Russian. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR KG
Population 83,047,706 6,071,750
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Kyrgystani Som (KGS)
Languages Turkish Kyrgyz, Russian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +996
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112