Published
10/23/2025, 14:05The iPhone 17 Pro, priced at 135,000 KGS, is not just a technological innovation, but a kind of indicator of the standard of living in Kyrgyzstan. With an average monthly salary of 42,522 KGS, buying a smartphone requires more than three months of work if you save all your earnings.
Moreover, this time is not the same for men and women, as historically Kyrgyz women are paid less. Thus, at the end of 2023 (the most recent data available today), the gap between men's and women's salaries was 26.6%. Therefore, to buy a new iPhone, a man needs to work for about three months, while a woman needs to work for almost 4.5 months.
The situation in different regions reflects the contrast in economic development.
| Region | Average salary (KGS) | Months of work for an iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Bishkek | 53,909 | ≈ 2.5 months |
| Issyk-Kul region | 46,228 | ≈ 2,9 months |
| Naryn region | 39,546 | ≈ 3,4 months |
| Talas Region | 39,247 | ≈ 3,4 months |
| Jalal-Abad Regio | 34,622 | ≈ 3,9 months |
| Osh | 34,715 | ≈ 3,9 months |
| Chui Region | 33,450 | ≈ 4 months |
| Batken Region | 31,093 | ≈ 4,3 months |
| Osh Region | 26,777 | ≈ 5 months |
Considering that women in these regions earn a quarter less, a resident of Batken, for example, would have to work for almost 6 months to afford the flagship iPhone.
For comparison, according to Statista, in the United States, the average worker needs to work about 31 hours to buy an iPhone 17 Pro, in Switzerland — 26 hours, and in South Korea — 80 hours. To understand, the average number of hours actually worked by Kyrgyz citizens per week is 38.1 hours.
