The editorial team of Kaktus.media decided to find out from the residents whether the reality matches the stated average salary and how much money is needed for a comfortable life in the capital.
The opinions of Bishkek residents turned out to be quite diverse. One of the surveyed young women shared: "55,000 is not enough to live in Bishkek. To live comfortably, you need to earn over 100,000. In the capital, this amount is clearly too little, although it might be sufficient in the regions. I think such money is earned by SMM specialists, possibly even more, as well as teachers."
Another young man noted that much depends on having your own housing: "If you have your own place, then 55,000 is quite enough for minimal needs. Such an amount is earned by hired workers in the private sector, such as salespeople and marketing specialists."
However, one respondent believes that although this salary is above average, it is still insufficient: "55,000 is above the average for the city, but in my opinion, on average, people earn 35-40,000. This amount is still not enough: rent can cost around 40,000, plus there are groceries and utility expenses. I think such a salary can be earned by couriers or waiters, but teachers probably earn less."
An elderly woman also believes that 55,000 is an insufficient amount: "Of course, that's not enough. Money is lacking everywhere now. Young people are especially struggling - they need to study and spend on basic things. For example, I work as a biology teacher and earn about 25,000 soms."
A pensioner expressed doubt about the truthfulness of the official statistics: "55,000? I don't understand how they calculate the average salary. In some places, cleaners earn only 8-10,000. They say teachers earn 100,000, but that's not true. Even with a lot of experience, there are no such salaries. I myself am a pensioner and earn 16,000, which is only enough for medicine. My children help. It's even harder for students - rent is very high, it's tough to live."
Some respondents noted that for basic needs, smaller amounts could suffice: "For a normal life, 40-50,000 soms would be enough."
What do you think? Is it realistic that there is such an average salary in Bishkek, and how much money is needed for a comfortable existence?
