Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Turkmenabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashgabat and Turkmenabat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,334 in Ashgabat versus $2,110 in Turkmenabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,091 in Ashgabat versus $3,353 in Turkmenabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,848 in Ashgabat versus $4,596 in Turkmenabat.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 58% more expensive than in Turkmenabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashgabat 143% above, Turkmenabat 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.57 TMT 106

$56.4 TMT 189

-44.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 TMT 285

$115 TMT 384

-25.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 TMT 43.06

Cappuccino

$6.88 TMT 23.05

$7.28 TMT 24.37

-5.49%

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

$1.59 TMT 5.34

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

$5.84 TMT 19.56

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.72 TMT 45.96

$14.15 TMT 47.40

-3.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.41 TMT 14.77

$4.33 TMT 14.49

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TMT 6.99

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.01 TMT 20.14

$4.30 TMT 14.42

39.77%

Eggs

$6.10 TMT 20.44

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.39 TMT 125

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.96 TMT 66.9

$8.61 TMT 28.84

131.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.41 TMT 78.4

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 TMT 16.61

$4.15 TMT 13.89

19.52%

Banana (1kg)

$8.53 TMT 28.59

$8.18 TMT 27.39

4.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.59 TMT 25.42

$6.10 TMT 20.42

24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 TMT 12.05

$1.96 TMT 6.58

83.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 TMT 7.78

$1.12 TMT 3.77

107.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 TMT 4.69

$0.88 TMT 2.96

59.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 TMT 8.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 TMT 3.64

$1.12 TMT 3.76

-2.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.76 TMT 86.3

$29.00 TMT 97.1

-11.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$40.58 TMT 136

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.11 TMT 17.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TMT 9.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 TMT 0.48

$0.16 TMT 0.53

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.09 TMT 33.80

$8.46 TMT 28.34

19.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 TMT 9.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 TMT 2.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.75 TMT 29.31

$8.36 TMT 28.01

4.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 TMT 1.49

$0.41 TMT 1.37

7.32%

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

$43.6K TMT 146.1K

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

$58.1K TMT 194.6K

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

$577 TMT 1,934

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

$56.5 TMT 189

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 344

$431 TMT 1,445

-76.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$196 TMT 657

$85.1 TMT 285

130.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.21 TMT 148

$20.80 TMT 69.7

112.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.70 TMT 29.14

$17.07 TMT 57.2

-49.03%

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

$23.24 TMT 77.8

$56.3 TMT 189

-58.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K TMT 82.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 TMT 184

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$113 TMT 378

$56.0 TMT 188

101.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$362 TMT 1,212

$425 TMT 1,424

-14.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 TMT 645

$488 TMT 1,636

-60.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 TMT 3,793

$487 TMT 1,632

132.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 TMT 3,337

$281 TMT 943

253.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 TMT 7,636

$1,121 TMT 3,756

103.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 TMT 6,532

$574 TMT 1,922

239.88%

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

$506 TMT 1,696

45.60%

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 Turkmenabat: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,132 in Ashgabat and $487 in Turkmenabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 46% 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: $85.0 in Ashgabat vs $115 in Turkmenabat. Groceries flip the comparison at $666 vs $226, with Turkmenabat cheaper for home cooking.

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 Turkmenabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashgabat and Turkmenabat differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($3,334 vs $2,110 including rent). Turkmenabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $1,132 in Ashgabat versus $487 in Turkmenabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $23.24 in Ashgabat versus $56.3 in Turkmenabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 194% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,110 in Turkmenabat versus $3,334 in Ashgabat, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Turkmenabat but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Turkmenabat 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 Turkmenabat 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 Turkmenabat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.