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: $3,146 in Ashgabat versus $1,218 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,862 in Ashgabat versus $1,853 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,579 in Ashgabat versus $2,489 in Tbilisi.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 158% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ashgabat is 134% above, Tbilisi is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.27 TMT 118

$10.85 ₾28.75

225.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 TMT 291

$44.17 ₾117

95.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.14 TMT 47.53

$8.28 ₾21.94

70.77%

Cappuccino

$7.18 TMT 24.11

$3.02 ₾8.00

137.75%

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

$3.22 TMT 10.82

$0.76 ₾2.02

323.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 TMT 2.99

$0.46 ₾1.22

93.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 TMT 17.68

$2.24 ₾5.93

134.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.30 TMT 48.06

$3.00 ₾7.95

376.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.81 TMT 16.17

$1.93 ₾5.11

149.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 TMT 8.11

$0.72 ₾1.91

234.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.28 TMT 24.45

$1.84 ₾4.87

295.65%

Eggs

$6.01 TMT 20.19

$2.45 ₾6.48

145.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$39.33 TMT 132

$7.43 ₾19.67

429.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.50 TMT 62.2

$6.48 ₾17.16

185.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.86 TMT 63.4

$9.70 ₾25.70

94.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.49 TMT 18.46

$1.20 ₾3.18

357.50%

Banana (1kg)

$9.09 TMT 30.54

$1.56 ₾4.14

482.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.79 TMT 26.18

$1.79 ₾4.75

335.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 TMT 12.19

$2.23 ₾5.90

62.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 TMT 7.83

$0.65 ₾1.73

258.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 TMT 6.13

$0.68 ₾1.79

167.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 TMT 6.90

$1.19 ₾3.16

72.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 TMT 3.76

$0.70 ₾1.86

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.97 TMT 87.3

$2.95 ₾7.82

780.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.39 TMT 139

$7.33 ₾19.41

464.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.65 TMT 15.62

$1.52 ₾4.02

205.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 TMT 9.71

$2.25 ₾5.95

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 TMT 0.45

$0.36 ₾0.95

-61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 TMT 29.09

$14.60 ₾38.68

-40.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 TMT 9.49

$1.50 ₾3.97

88.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 TMT 2.73

$0.73 ₾1.92

10.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 TMT 29.14

$7.45 ₾19.74

16.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 TMT 1.38

$1.14 ₾3.01

-64.04%

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

$43.3K TMT 145.5K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

133.94%

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

$56.3K TMT 189.3K

$20.3K ₾53.6K

178.17%

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

$569 TMT 1,913

$73.9 ₾196

670.80%

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

$58.1 TMT 195

$11.71 ₾31.01

395.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 TMT 340

$18.16 ₾48.09

457.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$198 TMT 667

$61.7 ₾163

221.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.60 TMT 150

$16.66 ₾44.12

167.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.56 TMT 48.91

$6.61 ₾17.50

120.27%

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

$22.76 TMT 76.5

$264 ₾700

-91.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K TMT 86.2K

$5,145 ₾13.6K

398.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 TMT 223

$74.9 ₾198

-11.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$121 TMT 407

$43.98 ₾117

175.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$305 TMT 1,025

$118 ₾312

159.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 TMT 626

$114 ₾301

63.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 TMT 3,839

$692 ₾1,833

65.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$747 TMT 2,509

$454 ₾1,203

64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 TMT 6,021

$1,323 ₾3,504

35.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 TMT 5,317

$789 ₾2,089

100.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,528 TMT 11.9K

$2,431 ₾6,440

45.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,850 TMT 9,575

$1,441 ₾3,818

97.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 TMT 2,557

$645 ₾1,709

17.95%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,143 in Ashgabat and $692 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 18% 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: $87.0 in Ashgabat vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $668 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 158% in total monthly costs ($3,146 vs $1,218 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ashgabat pays 18% more on average, 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: $1,143 in Ashgabat versus $692 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $22.76 in Ashgabat versus $264 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 227% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $3,146 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 158% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.