Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,109 in Ashgabat versus $1,191 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,786 in Ashgabat versus $1,856 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,463 in Ashgabat versus $2,522 in Tbilisi.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 161% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ashgabat is 134% above, Tbilisi is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.12 TMT 118

$10.91 ₾28.56

221.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 TMT 282

$43.19 ₾113

94.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.34 TMT 48.19

$8.53 ₾22.31

68.11%

Cappuccino

$7.20 TMT 24.19

$2.99 ₾7.81

140.80%

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

$3.28 TMT 11.01

$0.81 ₾2.12

304.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 TMT 3.00

$0.42 ₾1.09

111.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 TMT 17.43

$2.16 ₾5.65

140.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.49 TMT 48.69

$2.88 ₾7.52

403.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.96 TMT 16.67

$1.94 ₾5.08

155.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TMT 7.96

$0.68 ₾1.77

248.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.24 TMT 24.33

$1.85 ₾4.83

291.35%

Eggs

$6.31 TMT 21.21

$2.53 ₾6.62

149.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$40.74 TMT 137

$7.53 ₾19.69

441.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.78 TMT 63.1

$6.26 ₾16.39

200.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.75 TMT 63.0

$9.59 ₾25.09

95.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 TMT 18.40

$1.16 ₾3.04

372.41%

Banana (1kg)

$8.78 TMT 29.51

$1.64 ₾4.29

435.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.85 TMT 26.39

$1.88 ₾4.93

317.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 TMT 11.61

$2.23 ₾5.84

55.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 TMT 7.48

$0.70 ₾1.83

218.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 TMT 5.90

$0.64 ₾1.68

175.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 TMT 6.66

$1.18 ₾3.09

67.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 TMT 3.70

$0.70 ₾1.83

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.79 TMT 86.6

$2.97 ₾7.78

768.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.98 TMT 141

$7.43 ₾19.45

465.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.63 TMT 15.57

$1.54 ₾4.03

200.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 TMT 9.88

$2.28 ₾5.98

28.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 TMT 0.49

$0.36 ₾0.93

-58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.35 TMT 28.07

$14.73 ₾38.54

-43.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 TMT 9.38

$1.42 ₾3.71

96.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 TMT 2.72

$0.69 ₾1.81

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 TMT 28.57

$7.27 ₾19.02

16.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 TMT 1.38

$1.09 ₾2.86

-62.39%

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

$43.2K TMT 145.3K

$18.3K ₾47.9K

135.94%

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

$57.2K TMT 192.2K

$20.5K ₾53.6K

179.27%

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

$578 TMT 1,943

$74.4 ₾195

677.83%

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

$57.7 TMT 194

$11.71 ₾30.63

392.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 348

$17.60 ₾46.06

487.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$196 TMT 659

$60.3 ₾158

225.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.49 TMT 149

$16.29 ₾42.63

173.11%

Cinema Ticket

$14.03 TMT 47.14

$6.51 ₾17.03

115.51%

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

$23.12 TMT 77.7

$269 ₾704

-91.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K TMT 85.9K

$5,154 ₾13.5K

396.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 TMT 224

$77.1 ₾202

-13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$121 TMT 405

$43.48 ₾114

177.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$305 TMT 1,024

$118 ₾310

157.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 TMT 619

$113 ₾295

63.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 TMT 3,786

$709 ₾1,856

58.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 TMT 2,494

$465 ₾1,215

59.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 TMT 6,107

$1,316 ₾3,442

38.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 TMT 5,486

$767 ₾2,007

112.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,513 TMT 11.8K

$2,492 ₾6,522

40.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,877 TMT 9,667

$1,442 ₾3,773

99.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$742 TMT 2,494

$663 ₾1,735

11.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

11.89

-20.10%

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

Last update for Ashgabat: July 26, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ashgabat and $709 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $84.0 in Ashgabat vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $673 vs $204 per month, with Tbilisi 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 Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashgabat and Tbilisi differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($3,109 vs $1,191 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Ashgabat, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,127 in Ashgabat versus $709 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $23.12 in Ashgabat versus $269 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 229% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $3,109 in Ashgabat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi 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 Tbilisi 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.