BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 26. The average monthly nominal accrued wage of employees at enterprises and organizations (excluding small businesses) in Kyrgyzstan reached approximately 42,500 soms (about $487) in the first seven months of 2025.
The data obtained by Trend from the country's National Statistic Committee indicates that this represents a significant year-on-year increase of 20.4 percent compared to the same period in 2024. When adjusted for the Consumer Price Index, the real wage growth was a robust 12.0 percent, indicating a substantial rise in purchasing power for workers.
However, a deeper analysis reveals persistent structural challenges within the labor market, including significant wage disparities across regions and economic sectors.
A key concern remains the wide gap in earnings between different parts of the country. For instance, while the average wage in the capital city of Bishkek stood at nearly 54,000 soms, it was just 26,800 soms in the Osh region, a difference of more than two-fold.
The divergence between the public and private sectors is equally striking. In January-July 2025, the average wage in the private sector was around 55,900 soms, surpassing the average public sector wage of approximately 32,800 soms by a factor of 1.7. Furthermore, wage growth dynamics differed markedly: salaries in the private sector grew by nearly 24 percent year-on-year, compared to a more modest 14 percent increase in the public sector.
This wage gap in the public sector has tangible consequences. According to Deputy Minister of Education Nadira Dzhusupbekova, Kyrgyzstan faced a shortage of nearly 950 teachers at the start of the 2025 academic year. With the average teacher's salary around 25,000 soms ($286), the sector struggles to attract and retain qualified personnel.
The highest average wages were recorded in financial intermediation and insurance (80,700 soms), information and communication (74,400 soms), and mining (72,800 soms). Within the public sector, the highest earnings were for employees in public administration and defense (nearly 61,000 soms).
On the unemployment front, the number of job seekers registered with the Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic showed improvement. As of September 1, 2025, the figure stood at 63,600 people, a decrease of 18.6 percent from the previous year. Of these, registered unemployed persons numbered 44,200, a reduction of 22.5 percent. Women constituted 45.9 percent of the total registered unemployed. Regional concentration remains an issue, with Osh and Jalal-Abad regions accounting for 53 percent of all registered unemployed.
