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: $3,178 in Ashgabat versus $2,097 in Turkmenabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,791 in Ashgabat versus $3,378 in Turkmenabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,405 in Ashgabat versus $4,659 in Turkmenabat.

Living in Ashgabat is roughly 52% more expensive than Turkmenabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashgabat 137% above, Turkmenabat 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.57 TMT 116

$57.8 TMT 194

-40.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 TMT 284

$115 TMT 385

-26.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 TMT 47.15

Cappuccino

$6.85 TMT 23.02

$6.94 TMT 23.31

-1.30%

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

$3.28 TMT 11.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 TMT 3.17

$0.88 TMT 2.96

6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 TMT 17.38

$5.58 TMT 18.75

-7.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.45 TMT 48.56

$14.39 TMT 48.35

0.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.78 TMT 16.05

$4.35 TMT 14.60

9.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 TMT 8.25

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.14 TMT 23.99

$4.35 TMT 14.61

64.14%

Eggs

$6.07 TMT 20.39

Local Cheese (1kg)

$40.72 TMT 137

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.21 TMT 61.2

$8.36 TMT 28.08

117.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.32 TMT 61.6

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 TMT 18.75

$4.30 TMT 14.46

29.77%

Banana (1kg)

$8.68 TMT 29.17

$8.17 TMT 27.44

6.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.52 TMT 25.26

$6.24 TMT 20.96

20.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 TMT 11.98

$2.03 TMT 6.81

75.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 TMT 7.52

$1.13 TMT 3.79

98.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 TMT 6.10

$0.90 TMT 3.03

102.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 TMT 6.63

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 TMT 3.63

$1.17 TMT 3.93

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.93 TMT 87.1

$28.14 TMT 94.6

-7.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.52 TMT 140

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 TMT 15.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TMT 9.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 TMT 0.48

$0.12 TMT 0.40

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 TMT 28.84

$8.53 TMT 28.68

0.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 TMT 9.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 TMT 2.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 TMT 29.57

$8.68 TMT 29.18

1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 TMT 1.40

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

$44.7K TMT 150.3K

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

$57.6K TMT 193.5K

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

$565 TMT 1,898

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

$56.7 TMT 191

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 347

$431 TMT 1,447

-75.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$192 TMT 645

$86.3 TMT 290

122.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.56 TMT 150

$20.99 TMT 70.5

112.29%

Cinema Ticket

$14.24 TMT 47.86

$16.86 TMT 56.7

-15.54%

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

$23.29 TMT 78.3

$56.8 TMT 191

-59.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K TMT 87.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 TMT 218

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 TMT 411

$58.1 TMT 195

110.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$305 TMT 1,025

$421 TMT 1,414

-27.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 TMT 629

$479 TMT 1,609

-60.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 TMT 3,804

$493 TMT 1,655

129.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$736 TMT 2,474

$289 TMT 969

155.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 TMT 6,000

$1,161 TMT 3,901

53.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 TMT 5,336

$576 TMT 1,936

175.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,519 TMT 11.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,912 TMT 9,783

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$742 TMT 2,494

$517 TMT 1,737

43.55%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Turkmenabat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,132 in Ashgabat and $493 in Turkmenabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 44% 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 $115 in Turkmenabat. Groceries flip the comparison at $664 vs $227, 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 52% in total monthly costs ($3,178 vs $2,097 including rent). Turkmenabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ashgabat pays 44% 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: $1,132 in Ashgabat versus $493 in Turkmenabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $23.29 in Ashgabat versus $56.8 in Turkmenabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 192% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,097 in Turkmenabat versus $3,178 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 52% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.