Nowadays most of the students from South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc. want to start there higher education in Central Asian countries, which they couldn't even pronounce before, like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan etc. Almost 80% of those students are related to the medical fields like MBBS, MD & BDS. And the rest just do "business."
A well-known reason for that is the very affordable fee structure of universities and living expenses. which are almost 40-50% less than other countries😲. Although one may find that the accommodation and living expenses are more than other countries but the low fee structure for studies compensates that.
As I am currently studying in Kyrgyzstan, I can better guide you about Kyrgyzstan. But there is not much difference between Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries.
The given details are about the capital of Kyrgyzstan, which is Bishkek and is one of the most expensive cities.
Let us categorize the accommodations & expenses to make them easy that understand:
Hostel Accommodation:
In several universities, hostel dues are compulsory to be paid for 1st-semester students whether you live in the hostel or don't. After that, you can choose to have private accommodation outside the hostel. That could be a private hostel or apartment/flat. Let us find out the facilities of the hostel first to guesstimate the hostel expenses.
Hostel Facilities:
The upside of the hostels' accommodation is that they provide you with a couple of facilities. It will give you a place to live(a room with 3-7 people)😑, clean & wash, to study(a study table), provide security and food/mess to eat 3 times a day which is not that delicious but makes you a punctual man😊.
But the downside of that is, that all the facilities are very limited. Time restrictions, so no late-night plans, no home parties, no entertainment like wifi😱, TV or PS( if you have one) etc... Few hostels may claim to have wifi but that will be crowded with users. It has a compact space for students to live in. 4-8 persons per room. which is not a pleasant and comfortable situation. Let me mention that there are a few exceptional hostels that are pretty good.
University Hostel fee:
Most of the university hostels cost 900$ per semester which makes it 150$ per month as if you live there for the whole semester. As the semester has 4-5 months, and if you calculate, it makes you lose 200-300$ per semester. And that makes it 180-200$ per month for you.😵
Private Hostels:
After the first semester, students can shift to private hostels. For students, who are fond of living in hostels, and think that it provides and aroma for study, it can be a better option in a way of less-expensive as it cost up to 130-150$ a month. As you can pay monthly, which makes it a real 150$ a month. But all the facilities are the same as the university hostel. Few of these hostels have a good standard and clean environment.😌
Extra expenses:
Those expenses include phone bills, transport, eating out/ fast food in KFC/McDonalds'/restraunts etc, and a little grocery like for soaps/detergents, tea/coffee/soft drinks etc. That will cost you almost 100$ ± a month. It totally depends on whether you are a spendthrift or a frugal.
Total Hostel Expenses:
So if we calculate:
> Universty Hostel fee + Extra expenses = 270$-300$ /month
> Private Hostel fee + Extra expenses = 240$-260$ /month
And that amount is for a normal lifestyle. You may reduce it by cutting down on your extra expenses. But for some student, hostel life might not be comfortable and enjoyable. Due to the limited facilities in almost 250$-300$ a month.😨
Private Accommodation:
Now, private accommodations are more comfortable and entertaining. You just have to find one. Those are the apartments and flats that you take on rent. Different flats have different rates which depend upon the number of rooms and the location in the city. Flats in the centre of the city are more expensive. But are affordable though. There are a lot of Facebook pages and groups that help you find a perfect flat for yourself. But there will be a commission for the broker 50-100$😑. Don't worry, it's only one time. And it will only help if a group of friends live together and the rent is divided. Now let's discuss the facilities of the flats/apartment to compare it with the hostel.
Flat Facilities:
On the upside, the private accommodation has fewer restrictions as compared to the hostel, you can go anywhere any time, all the facilities are available, entertainment(internet wifi, TV👏), large rooms, more rooms and more space, so you can study till late night with the lights on (if you study at all😄). And almost every household things are available like a refrigerator, washing machine, stove, utensils etc. You can have a pretty good lifestyle. And it also gives a little more privacy as compared to hostels.😌
The downside is that the mess/food system, cooking, cleaning and doing the dishes are up to you😟. You can divide the work. Some people might not take it as a problem but there are a few(busy or lazy😉) who don't want to do that. For those students, there are restaurants that offer mess/food 2 times a day for per month charges(almost 100$). And another thing is that you might wanna keep your voice low at night, 'cause that might disturb the neighbours, and believe me, you don't want that.😏
Flat Expenses:
Rent:
Flat expenses are very affordable for students. First of all, it includes rent. That can start from 170$ to 600$ a month for a One-room flat to a Four-rooms flat. Don't be afraid, a kitchen is not considered a room. There might be a separate kitchen or merged in the large living room.
For the general idea:
One-Room flat = 170-260$ (2 to 3 persons)
Two-Rooms flat = 250-400$ (for 4,5 persons)
Tree-Rooms flat = 330-550$(for 5,6 persons) and so on...
But let me mention again that it depends upon the location as well as the standard of the flat. As if it is an ordinary or an elite class flat. So for one person, it will cost 60-100$ a month(including utility bills).
Mess/Food Expenses:
This includes groceries like chicken/meat, vegetables, oil, flour, rice, daals, spices and almost everything required for cooking for a month. This also includes things other than food, like detergent, soaps, shampoo, conditioner etc...
All those things will cost less if you buy them from the Bazaar/Market-place(Osh Bazaar in Bishkek) instead of supermarkets. It costs 25-35$ a month per person.
Extra Expenses:
The extra expenses in the flats are the same as in the hostels. Or might be a little more as there are no restrictions on time so a lot of students like to go out in the night-time to eat out in restaurants. That would cost almost 100$ or 120$ a month. But I would say that it depends on lifestyle from person to person(as I said spendthrift or frugal).😊
Total Flats Accommodation expenses:
Total expenses will be 180$-300$ a month😨.
One might think it is expensive but this totally depends on the flat condition, location and person's living standards.
For better understanding those expenses are categorized into three, according to my experience:
Category 1: Away from the city centre/good flats/TV, AC may or may not available.
>Flat rent + Mess/Groceries + Extra expenses = 180-220$/month
Category 2: Near the city centre/good flats/ mostly everything is available.
That would be 200-250$ a month
Category 3: In the city centre/ Elite class flats/ everything is available.
That will cost 250$-300$ a month. But if you are in the city, you can afford and a party person. you might spend 300$+.
My personal experience:
I myself have never lived in hostels but my friends have. According to them, sometimes they felt like suffocating a little. And the food is not that delightful. I have seen those hostels and most of those are loaded with first-year students. But as soon as their 1st semester ends they move to the flats.
From my experience, an average flat is better than a good hostel.
I live near the city centre in an elite class 3 room-flat with my 5 friends. It has all the facilities like the Internet, Wifi, a 65 inch LED(good for movie night and PS😉), 3 ACs, elevator, security etc...
The rent is 500$ a month so it makes 85$ per person. It includes rent and all the utility bills and building taxes etc...
With all the expenses it cost me 230-250$ a month with a beautiful and entertaining lifestyle.✌
My recommendation:
As I mentioned earlier that hostel dues for the 1st-semester students are compulsory. If you are a 1st-semester student and don't know anyone and anything, it is a better choice to live in a hostel. Not just because you have paid but because you make new friends and those can be your class fellows. That gives you a better chance to know each other and later you can decide to rent an apartment together.
But if you already have friends studying there who live in flats and you don't like hostel life and you can afford to pay for rent, despite the fact that you have already paid for a hostel, you should live in a flat. Because private accommodations give more experience and help you to have more interaction with the locals, which is good. But that is just a personal opinion.
What I believe is that one can enjoy both lifestyles. More money doesn't give you more joy. But it is all about the facilities and freedom. It's up to you how you live and enjoy and get comfort because comfort gives you an open mind to help you study(if you ever want to😉).
A.K.
Good job....
ReplyDeleteIt will help many of new coming students.