Bishkek Kyrgyzstan

Maksim Bakiyev - Elder son of Kurmanbek and heir apparent to the throne of Kyrgyzstan

Is Bishkek Safe?

Yes, Bishkek is absolutely safe. The people of Kyrgyzstan adore their dear leader and would never attempt to overthrow him.

How do you rent an apartment in Bishkek?

Renting an apartment in Bishkek is rather easy. The only unfortunate issue is that most apartment owners require advance payment of several months. You may drop ten large on an eight room penthouse only to find out days later the neighbors are unbearably noisy.

The average rent for a studio apartment in the city center is approximately $400. In non-centrally located districts, ie. Mikrorayoni (Microregions), Soviet style apartments rent for as little as $200. If you go for the cheap option, be sure to carry a flashlight and knife when entering and exiting the building after sundown. For all apartment rentals, always clarify who pays the utilities: you or the landlord. Sometimes the rent covers natural gas, sometimes not, sometimes electricity, and so forth.

There are several legitimate real estate agencies in Bishkek. I used the services of "Salut" to find an apartment and would do so again. Their fee is 800KGS = approximately 21 USD. Private classified ads may also be found in a daily newspaper. Vecherny Bishkek (Bishkek Evening News) is issued each Friday, and offers several pages of apartment classifieds to sift through.

Salut Real Estate Agency
Address: 24-1 Usenbaeva Street / Bokonbaeva Street
Tel: +996-312-51-23-40
E-mail: salut@salut.com.kg
Website: http://salut.kg