Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Kaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Kaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,334 in Ashgabat versus $2,184 in Kaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,091 in Ashgabat versus $3,262 in Kaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,848 in Ashgabat versus $4,340 in Kaka.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 53% more expensive than in Kaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashgabat 143% above, Kaka 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.57 TMT 106

$31.44 TMT 105

0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 TMT 285

$83.8 TMT 281

1.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 TMT 43.06

$12.63 TMT 42.31

1.74%

Cappuccino

$6.88 TMT 23.05

$6.97 TMT 23.34

-1.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 TMT 5.34

$1.62 TMT 5.41

-1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TMT 2.75

$0.84 TMT 2.80

-2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.80 TMT 19.44

$5.87 TMT 19.66

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.72 TMT 45.96

$13.27 TMT 44.44

3.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.41 TMT 14.77

$4.62 TMT 15.49

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TMT 6.99

$2.08 TMT 6.96

0.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.01 TMT 20.14

$5.68 TMT 19.01

5.81%

Eggs

$6.10 TMT 20.44

$5.85 TMT 19.60

4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.39 TMT 125

$36.88 TMT 124

1.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.96 TMT 66.9

$20.19 TMT 67.6

-1.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.41 TMT 78.4

$22.91 TMT 76.8

2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 TMT 16.61

$5.00 TMT 16.75

-0.80%

Banana (1kg)

$8.53 TMT 28.59

$8.42 TMT 28.20

1.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.59 TMT 25.42

$7.52 TMT 25.18

0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 TMT 12.05

$3.72 TMT 12.46

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 TMT 7.78

$2.27 TMT 7.59

2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 TMT 4.69

$1.39 TMT 4.64

0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 TMT 8.67

$2.67 TMT 8.95

-3.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 TMT 3.64

$1.07 TMT 3.58

1.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.76 TMT 86.3

$25.33 TMT 84.9

1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$40.58 TMT 136

$41.16 TMT 138

-1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.11 TMT 17.11

$5.23 TMT 17.52

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TMT 9.65

$2.78 TMT 9.31

3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 TMT 0.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.09 TMT 33.80

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 TMT 9.26

$2.93 TMT 9.83

-5.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 TMT 2.75

$0.86 TMT 2.88

-4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.75 TMT 29.31

$8.39 TMT 28.09

4.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 TMT 1.49

$0.41 TMT 1.38

7.32%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$43.6K TMT 146.1K

$43.8K TMT 146.6K

-0.37%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$58.1K TMT 194.6K

$56.2K TMT 188.4K

3.28%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$577 TMT 1,934

$572 TMT 1,916

0.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$56.5 TMT 189

$56.1 TMT 188

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 344

$104 TMT 349

-1.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$196 TMT 657

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.21 TMT 148

Cinema Ticket

$8.70 TMT 29.14

$8.77 TMT 29.36

-0.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$23.24 TMT 77.8

$23.23 TMT 77.8

0.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K TMT 82.8K

$24.6K TMT 82.5K

0.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 TMT 184

$54.5 TMT 183

0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$113 TMT 378

$113 TMT 379

-0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$362 TMT 1,212

$359 TMT 1,203

0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 TMT 645

$195 TMT 653

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 TMT 3,793

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 TMT 3,337

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 TMT 7,636

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 TMT 6,532

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,565 TMT 11.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,854 TMT 9,559

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$737 TMT 2,470

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ashgabat: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kaka: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Ashgabat vs $84.0 in Kaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $666 vs $665 per month, with Kaka cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ashgabat vs Kaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashgabat and Kaka differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($3,334 vs $2,184 including rent). Kaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,001 in Ashgabat and $3,276 in Kaka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $23.24 in Ashgabat versus $23.23 in Kaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kaka – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $85.0 in Ashgabat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,184 in Kaka versus $3,334 in Ashgabat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaka but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Kaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ashgabat and Kaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.