It’s the ‘japa’ season. ‘Japa’ in Nigeria means to travel out of the country. In other words, Nigerians are making their way out of the country, more than ever before.
Kyrgyzstan is among about 48 countries that are easily accessible to you because you are a Nigerian. In other words, the process it entails to travel over there is not as hard as you have probably imagined travelling out of Nigeria to be.
One fact about the aforementioned country is that it is a landlocked country, and it is said to have the second largest high-altitude lake in the world, Issyk-Kul which is 113 miles long and 37 miles deep.
The capital of the country is referred to as Bishkek, the largest city in Kyrgyzstan.
The people of Kyrgyzstan are called the Kyrgyz, just as Nigeria refers to her citizens as Nigerians.
The languages spoken in this country are mentioned below.
The following are religions practised in Kyrgyzstan, according to cia.gov
As reported by cia.gov, the population of the country is estimated to be 6,071,750. And Kyrgyzstan’s comparison to the world is 112.
According to Britannica.com, ‘the population of Kyrgyzstan is young. Over half the population is under age 30, while nearly one-third is under age 15. The death rate is slightly lower than the global average, and the birth rate is slightly above average. Life expectancy is about 75 years for women and 67 years for men.’
Kyrgyzstan often issues an e-visa to Nigerian citizens. This visa validates your duration of stay for 30 days, and according to visalist.io, it expires after 90 days. The catch is that you don’t need to be physically present to apply for an e-visa; you can do that online.
The following are the requirements needed to get you that e-visa as a Nigerian who is travelling to Kyrgyzstan.
The official currency used in Kyrgyzstan is Som.
Illustration according to kyrgyzstan-travelguide.com:
‘Kyrgyz Som (KGS) = 100 tyin. Notes are in denominations of 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1, and 50, 10 and 1 tyin.’
According to livingcost.org, ‘the cost of living in Kyrgyzstan is $441 and is estimated to be 2.11 times less expensive than the world average. The country ranked 186th out of 197 countries by cost of living and the 125th best country to live in.’
According to livingcost.org, the average salary after taxes in Kyrgyzstan is $248, and it is speculated to be enough to cover living expenses for 0.6 months.
| Cost of living | One person | Family of 4 |
| 💰 Total with rent | $441 | $1208 |
| 🛋️ Without rent | $245 | $853 |
| 🏨 Rent & Utilities | $196 | $355 |
| 🍽️ Food | $177 | $466 |
| 🚐 Transport | $19.6 | $54.5 |
| 💳 Monthly salary after tax | $248 | |
| 💸 GDP per capita | $1176 | |
| 😃 Human freedom index | 7.18 | |
| ❤️ Life expectancy | 71.8 | |
| 🌐 English speaking % | 2% | |
| 🏙️ Population | 6.2M | |
Below is an illustration of cost of living in Kyrgyzstan including assessment in nine cities
| Eating Out | |
| 🍱 Lunch Menu | $3.88 |
| 🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2 | $18.4 |
| 🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald’s | $3.42 |
| 🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz | $1.53 |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $1.62 |
| 🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz | $0.55 |
| Rent & Utilities | |
| 🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in city Center, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | $247 |
| 🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 | $140 |
| 🏙️ 3bedroom apartment in city Center, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | $433 |
| 🏡 Cheap 3bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 | $278 |
| 🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc. | $21.2 |
| 🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc. | $32.4 |
| 🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1month unlimited | $13.6 |
| 🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years | 16.44% |
| 🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | $791 |
| 🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2 | $677 |
| Transportation | |
| 🚌 Local transport ticket | $0.18 |
| 🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport | $6.81 |
| 🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi | $2.15 |
| ⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal | $0.68 |
| Groceries | |
| 🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt | $0.74 |
| 🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb | $0.37 |
| 🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $0.86 |
| 🥚 Eggs, x12 | $1.51 |
| 🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $6.5 |
| 🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $4.02 |
| 🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $6.31 |
| 🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $0.84 |
| 🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $1.5 |
| 🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $1.87 |
| 🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $1.29 |
| 🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $0.44 |
| 🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb | $0.36 |
| 🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt | $0.28 |
| 🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz | $0.88 |
| 🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle | $5.1 |
| 🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz | $0.88 |
| 🚬 Cigarette pack | $1.3 |
| 💊 Cold medicine, 1 week | $3.64 |
| 🧴 Hair Shampoo | $2.78 |
| 🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls | $0.96 |
| 👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube | $1.15 |
| Other | |
| 🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month | $30.1 |
| 🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person | $3.3 |
| 👩⚕️ Doctor’s visit | $13.9 |
| 💇 Haircut, simple | $2.63 |
| 👖 Brand Jeans | $28.3 |
| 👟 Brand Sneakers | $60.2 |
| 👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month | $122 |
| 🏫 International Primary School, 1 year | |
The minimum wage in Kyrgyzstan according to minimum-wage.org is 970 Kyrgyzstani som per month; equivalent to $14.
The yearly minimum wage in Kyrgyzstan, according to minimum-wage.org, is $251.00 in international currency. There are 119 countries with a higher minimum wage than Kyrgyzstan, and Kyrgyzstan is in the bottom per cent of all countries based on the yearly minimum wage rate.
International Currency is a measure of currency based on the value of the United States dollar in 2009.
If you are travelling to Kyrgyzstan, according to travel.gc.ca, amidst other things, you should not overlook the threat of terrorism in the country. There is also the occurrence of petty crimes and violent crimes. However, play your part by ensuring that your personal belongings are safe and stay alert wherever you find yourself.
Here is what InterNations recorded regarding employment in this landlocked country.
“Job Hunting in Kyrgyzstan- Because of the predominantly agrarian nature of the economy and the fact that Kyrgyzstan’s services sector is relatively underdeveloped, there are few job opportunities for expats. Many expatriates working in Kyrgyzstan are employed by NGOs, and the UN Jobs board sometimes has openings advertised.”
It was further mentioned that Kyrgyz or Russian is recognised as the working language rather than English. This boils down to the fact that you will often be at a disadvantage if you don’t speak either of the languages.
“Income Taxation in Kyrgyzstan- Taxation is legislated by the Tax Code of the Kyrgyz Republic. Income tax for those earning up to the 50 minimum salaries rate is 10%. For those earning over the 50 minimal salaries rate, the first 50 minimal salaries rate is taxed at 10% and the remaining is taxed at 20%. Kyrgyzstan levies a profit tax of 10% on other income, whilst there is a 20% Value Added Tax sales rate on goods, introduced by the government to try and boost the economy.”
According to globalization-partners.com, if you are a foreigner, you’ll need to apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate in your country of residence. The following are the basic requirements needed to get a work permit.
If you are travelling to Kyrgyzstan, the following are the top attractions you’ll find in the country, according to tripzaza.com.
1. Tien-Shan Mountains
If you are in love with mountains and you have never seen really high peaks then you should visit this place. ‘The views opening from the height of the bird’s flight remain in the memory forever, so this attraction of Kyrgyzstan will never cease to be of interest to tourists.’
2. Lake Issyk-Kul
Like it was mentioned earlier in this article, this lake is the second largest high-altitude lake in the world, Issyk-Kul (113 miles long and 37 miles deep). ‘It is an interesting fact that this attraction of Kyrgyzstan brings the most money to the state budget compared to other tourist sites. It is better to go here in the summer, when the water temperature is most comfortable for swimming.’
3. Ala Archa Gorge
‘The Ala Archa Gorge is a government-designated protected area. The division into zones with different types of climate makes it unique. The diversity of plant and animal species is also a pleasant surprise, and the steep slopes nearby are ideal for mountaineering training.’
4. Burana Tower
‘Burana Tower is an important historical monument of Kyrgyzstan, which is a multi-level complex built in the 10th-11th century, of which only the minaret remains intact. The tower rises to a height of almost 22 meters, although the original height was about forty meters. If you have a desire, there are sculptures and tombstones of ancient times with petroglyphs within walking distance. For the construction of the building was used red brick, some of which has survived to this day. Twelve kilometres away is the town of Tokmak.’
5. Gumbez Manas Mausoleum
‘The mausoleum of Gumbez Manas is a burial complex made of burnt brick with Arabic inscriptions and traditional ornaments, as well as a pointed dome. It is often visited not only by foreign tourists, but also by locals. If the legend is to be believed, it was erected by the most talented architects of Samarkand and Bukhara, although there is a reference to the burial of the daughter of one of the emirs outside the structure.’
6. Inylchek Glacier
‘The Inylchek Glacier is the largest glaciated tree-shaped formation in existence, occupying over 500 square kilometres. It is joined by over seventy smaller glaciers, which form its crown.’
7. Sary-Chelek Lake
‘Sary-Chelek Lake is a lake formed about ten thousand years ago at an altitude of more than 1800 meters, which is worth coming for a walk along the picturesque coast, the study of unusual flora and fauna, as well as a memorable picnic in nature.’
8. Son-Kul Lake (Sonkyol)
Son-Kul Lake (Son-Kul) is a wonderful body of water, hidden inside the Tian-Shan, at an altitude of over 3 thousand meters, covering an area of 270 square kilometres. The lake (or rather, part of its coastal area) has the status of a reserve of national importance, and many of the animals and plants found here are classified as rare.
Above all, if you have ever made the decision of travelling to Kyrgyzstan you need all the information you can get. However, be mindful of the sources and agents that you might come in contact with.
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