Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,109 in Ashgabat versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,786 in Ashgabat versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,463 in Ashgabat versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 36% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashgabat 134% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.12 TMT 118

$15.75 €13.64

122.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 TMT 282

$63.5 €55.0

32.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.34 TMT 48.19

$10.45 €9.05

37.22%

Cappuccino

$7.20 TMT 24.19

$2.91 €2.52

147.42%

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

$3.28 TMT 11.01

$2.29 €1.98

43.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 TMT 3.00

$1.50 €1.30

-40.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 TMT 17.43

$3.56 €3.09

45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.49 TMT 48.69

$3.96 €3.43

265.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.96 TMT 16.67

$1.08 €0.94

359.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TMT 7.96

$1.76 €1.53

34.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.24 TMT 24.33

$1.70 €1.47

325.88%

Eggs

$6.31 TMT 21.21

$3.25 €2.81

94.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$40.74 TMT 137

$13.25 €11.47

207.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.78 TMT 63.1

$7.70 €6.67

143.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.75 TMT 63.0

$15.77 €13.66

18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 TMT 18.40

$2.28 €1.97

140.35%

Banana (1kg)

$8.78 TMT 29.51

$1.66 €1.43

428.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.85 TMT 26.39

$2.02 €1.75

288.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 TMT 11.61

$2.47 €2.14

40.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 TMT 7.48

$1.79 €1.55

24.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 TMT 5.90

$2.07 €1.79

-14.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 TMT 6.66

$1.97 €1.71

0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 TMT 3.70

$0.83 €0.72

32.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.79 TMT 86.6

$6.55 €5.68

293.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.98 TMT 141

$5.57 €4.82

653.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.63 TMT 15.57

$1.33 €1.15

248.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 TMT 9.88

$3.01 €2.60

-2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 TMT 0.49

$2.27 €1.97

-93.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.35 TMT 28.07

$46.35 €40.14

-81.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 TMT 9.38

$4.23 €3.66

-34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 TMT 2.72

$0.85 €0.73

-4.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 TMT 28.57

$18.83 €16.31

-54.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 TMT 1.38

$2.02 €1.75

-79.70%

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

$43.2K TMT 145.3K

$35.0K €30.3K

23.66%

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

$57.2K TMT 192.2K

$39.6K €34.3K

44.30%

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

$578 TMT 1,943

$148 €128

290.94%

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

$57.7 TMT 194

$20.52 €17.77

181.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 348

$39.52 €34.23

161.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$196 TMT 659

$48.17 €41.72

306.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.49 TMT 149

$18.39 €15.92

141.92%

Cinema Ticket

$14.03 TMT 47.14

$9.10 €7.88

54.18%

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

$23.12 TMT 77.7

$615 €532

-96.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K TMT 85.9K

$16.3K €14.1K

57.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 TMT 224

$102 €88.0

-34.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$121 TMT 405

$42.09 €36.45

186.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$305 TMT 1,024

$92.3 €79.9

230.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 TMT 619

$122 €106

51.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 TMT 3,786

$1,612 €1,396

-30.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 TMT 2,494

$1,254 €1,086

-40.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 TMT 6,107

$3,069 €2,658

-40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 TMT 5,486

$2,037 €1,764

-19.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,513 TMT 11.8K

$7,751 €6,712

-54.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,877 TMT 9,667

$4,286 €3,712

-32.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$742 TMT 2,494

$1,602 €1,387

-53.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

3.81

149.34%

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

Last update for Ashgabat: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ashgabat and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 116% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Ashgabat vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $673 vs $267 per month, with Lisbon 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashgabat and Lisbon differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($3,109 vs $2,280 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 116% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,127 in Ashgabat versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $23.12 in Ashgabat versus $615 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 152% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Lisbon 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.