Expat Life & Facts about the Local Economy in Bishkek

Situated to the far north of Kyrgyzstan, close to the border with neighboring Kazakhstan and surrounded by the Tian Shan mountain range, Bishkek is a relatively young but fascinating city, combining wide boulevards and lush green spaces with Soviet-era neo-brutalist architecture. As the country's largest and most well-connected city, Bishkek has emerged as a major business capital of the Central Asian region. Expats are generally attracted to opportunities in the mining and development sectors, with others traveling to the city to do volunteer work or teach English. The city can offer some challenges — language and cultural barriers are likely to be an issue if you speak no Kyrgyz or Russian, and although relatively secular and liberal by the standards of the region, visitors from the west may still find the culture rather conservative. However, Bishkek does also offer a generally friendly and welcoming populace, a low cost of living and a surprisingly lively nightclub scene — meaning there's plenty to enjoy if you're looking for new experiences in an oft-overlooked corner of the world.

InterNations is the largest global network for expatriates, with communities in 420 cities around the world. Meet fellow global minds in your city of residence or get to know local expatriates before you're moving or traveling abroad and never feel like a stranger. InterNations makes it easy for you to stay in touch with your expat friends, both online and offline, so you can grow your network of friends and contacts from all over the world. Whether they live in Utrecht or New York, InterNations allows you to be close to them even if they are miles away.

Join Our Expat Network in Bishkek

With a relatively small expat community and a culture that may take some time to get used to, strong connections in Bishkek are worth their weight in gold. When you join InterNations, it's easy to find like-minded expatriates willing to share advice and insights into life in the city. We ask all of our members to abide by our guiding principles of good etiquette, honesty and respect, meaning you can ask any questions you might have in a secure and welcoming environment. You may be looking for a native speaker to help you deal with the paperwork required to set up a business or buy a property, or advice on enrolling your children in an international school. Alternatively you may be looking for social connections such as a fellow expat flatmate, a hiking group or a local sports team. Whatever you're looking for, InterNations can help you to find the right people. Why not get started by attending one of our regular networking events in Bishkek? Simply join and have a look at our events calendar to find out the details of our next get-togethers. Or feel free to create your own interest-based group on InterNations and get-together with fellow members who share your hobbies.