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: $3,149 in Ashgabat versus $2,081 in Turkmenabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,892 in Ashgabat versus $3,376 in Turkmenabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,636 in Ashgabat versus $4,671 in Turkmenabat.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 51% more expensive than in Turkmenabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashgabat 136% above, Turkmenabat 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.40 TMT 116

$56.6 TMT 190

-39.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.5 TMT 287

$116 TMT 388

-25.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.22 TMT 47.77

Cappuccino

$7.19 TMT 24.17

$7.07 TMT 23.75

1.70%

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

$3.17 TMT 10.67

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 TMT 3.16

$0.82 TMT 2.75

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 TMT 17.74

$5.68 TMT 19.10

-7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.19 TMT 47.67

$14.06 TMT 47.25

0.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.85 TMT 16.29

$4.39 TMT 14.74

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 TMT 8.18

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.15 TMT 24.02

$4.20 TMT 14.11

70.24%

Eggs

$6.12 TMT 20.57

Local Cheese (1kg)

$40.33 TMT 136

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.24 TMT 61.3

$8.43 TMT 28.34

116.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 TMT 62.2

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 TMT 18.77

$4.26 TMT 14.31

31.22%

Banana (1kg)

$9.01 TMT 30.27

$7.78 TMT 26.13

15.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.83 TMT 26.32

$6.17 TMT 20.74

26.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 TMT 12.17

$2.02 TMT 6.78

79.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 TMT 7.57

$1.17 TMT 3.91

92.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 TMT 6.14

$0.90 TMT 3.01

103.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 TMT 6.65

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TMT 3.82

$1.12 TMT 3.76

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.11 TMT 87.7

$28.68 TMT 96.4

-8.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.56 TMT 140

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 TMT 15.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 TMT 9.41

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 TMT 0.53

$0.16 TMT 0.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 TMT 28.12

$8.75 TMT 29.39

-4.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 TMT 9.56

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 TMT 2.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 TMT 29.57

$8.64 TMT 29.02

1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 TMT 1.50

$0.41 TMT 1.39

9.76%

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

$44.8K TMT 150.5K

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

$57.2K TMT 192.1K

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

$569 TMT 1,911

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

$57.6 TMT 194

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 345

$425 TMT 1,429

-75.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$195 TMT 657

$84.4 TMT 284

131.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.83 TMT 151

$21.43 TMT 72.0

109.19%

Cinema Ticket

$14.37 TMT 48.27

$16.88 TMT 56.7

-14.87%

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

$22.96 TMT 77.2

$56.0 TMT 188

-59.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K TMT 84.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 TMT 223

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$121 TMT 407

$56.6 TMT 190

113.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$304 TMT 1,021

$425 TMT 1,429

-28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 TMT 627

$477 TMT 1,601

-60.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 TMT 3,726

$481 TMT 1,616

130.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 TMT 2,482

$290 TMT 973

155.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 TMT 6,038

$1,147 TMT 3,854

56.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 TMT 5,301

$562 TMT 1,889

180.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,489 TMT 11.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,850 TMT 9,575

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 TMT 2,564

$521 TMT 1,750

46.51%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Turkmenabat: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,109 in Ashgabat and $481 in Turkmenabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 47% 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: $86.0 in Ashgabat vs $116 in Turkmenabat. Groceries flip the comparison at $669 vs $224, 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 51% in total monthly costs ($3,149 vs $2,081 including rent). Turkmenabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $1,109 in Ashgabat versus $481 in Turkmenabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $22.96 in Ashgabat versus $56.0 in Turkmenabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 198% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,081 in Turkmenabat versus $3,149 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 51% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.