For one person, living is cheaper in Samaxi: $842 a month against $996 in Baku, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Baku and in Samaxi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Baku versus $842 in Samaxi.
Baku $996
Samaxi $842
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Baku versus $1,521 in Samaxi.
Baku $1,551
Samaxi $1,521
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,107 in Baku versus $2,200 in Samaxi.
Baku $2,107
Samaxi $2,200
🌍
Living in Baku is roughly 18% more expensive than in Samaxi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Baku26% lower, Samaxi38% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.84₼15.02
$8.29₼14.08
6.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.43₼67.0
$29.87₼50.8
32.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.26₼14.04
$5.85₼9.94
41.20%
Cappuccino
$3.50₼5.95
$2.75₼4.68
27.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12₼1.91
$0.85₼1.45
31.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57₼0.97
$0.34₼0.58
67.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72₼2.93
$1.21₼2.06
42.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98₼5.06
$2.31₼3.93
29.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49₼2.54
$1.35₼2.29
10.37%
White Bread(500g)
$0.49₼0.84
$0.36₼0.60
36.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.48₼4.21
$2.41₼4.09
2.90%
Eggs
$1.99₼3.38
$1.12₼1.90
77.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.16₼8.77
$2.93₼4.98
76.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.17₼8.79
$4.41₼7.49
17.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.85₼20.15
$9.07₼15.41
30.65%
Apples(1kg)
$1.34₼2.28
$0.63₼1.06
112.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.90₼3.22
$1.56₼2.65
21.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.58₼2.68
$1.44₼2.44
9.72%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.84₼3.13
$1.05₼1.78
75.24%
Potato(1kg)
$0.74₼1.25
$0.59₼1.00
25.42%
Onion(1kg)
$0.61₼1.03
$0.51₼0.87
19.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.73₼1.24
$0.43₼0.74
69.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78₼1.32
$0.59₼0.99
32.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.97₼5.05
$3.48₼5.92
-14.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.59₼14.59
$5.13₼8.72
67.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53₼2.60
$0.85₼1.44
80.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82₼4.79
$1.94₼3.29
45.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.36₼0.62
$0.30₼0.52
20.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.86₼35.44
$14.48₼24.60
44.06%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.12₼3.60
$1.74₼2.97
21.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58₼0.99
$0.30₼0.52
93.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.64₼6.18
$3.00₼5.10
21.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.64₼1.09
$0.57₼0.97
12.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K₼39.6K
$23.5K₼39.9K
-0.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K₼37.5K
$24.8K₼42.2K
-11.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$67.7₼115
$33.84₼57.5
99.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.11₼18.88
$12.85₼21.84
-13.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.09₼25.65
$14.52₼24.68
3.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.83₼81.3
$29.79₼50.6
60.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.66₼28.32
$14.85₼25.23
12.19%
Cinema Ticket
$5.74₼9.76
$7.22₼12.27
-20.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$334₼568
$234₼398
42.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,829₼11.6K
$11.6K₼19.7K
-41.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.7₼112
$47.94₼81.5
36.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.2₼93.7
$58.1₼98.7
-5.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$124₼211
$117₼199
6.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115₼195
$118₼201
-2.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$547₼930
$388₼659
41.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$301₼511
$289₼491
4.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$974₼1,655
$703₼1,195
38.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$488₼830
$894₼1,519
-45.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,177₼3,699
$2,067₼3,513
5.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,315₼2,235
$1,196₼2,032
9.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baku
Samaxi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$548₼932
$347₼590
57.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.46
8
18.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Baku: October 19, 2026
Last update for Samaxi: October 17, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Baku
$301 30.2%
Samaxi
$289 34.3% ↓ 3.9%$12
🛒Groceries & Markets
Baku
$194 19.5%
Samaxi
$143 16.9% ↓ 26.6%$52
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Baku
$162 16.2%
Samaxi
$153 18.2% ↓ 5.1%$8.3
🍽Eating Out
Baku
$159 16%
Samaxi
$132 15.7% ↓ 16.7%$27
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baku
$94 9.4%
Samaxi
$61 7.3% ↓ 34.8%$33
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Baku
$59 6%
Samaxi
$44 5.3% ↓ 25.4%$15
🚌Getting Around
Baku
$27 2.7%
Samaxi
$19 2.3% ↓ 30.6%$8.4
🏠Accommodation & Living
Baku
$488 23.2%
Samaxi
$894 40.6% ↑ 83%$405
🛒Groceries & Markets
Baku
$446 21.2%
Samaxi
$330 15% ↓ 26.1%$116
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Baku
$359 17.1%
Samaxi
$341 15.5% ↓ 5.1%$18
🍽Eating Out
Baku
$517 24.6%
Samaxi
$420 19.1% ↓ 18.8%$97
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baku
$105 5%
Samaxi
$74 3.4% ↓ 29.4%$31
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Baku
$135 6.4%
Samaxi
$103 4.7% ↓ 23.6%$32
🚌Getting Around
Baku
$55 2.6%
Samaxi
$39 1.8% ↓ 30.5%$17
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Baku and $388 in Samaxi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Baku pays 58% 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: $39.00 in Baku vs $30.00 in Samaxi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $143 per month, with Samaxi cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Baku vs Samaxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Baku and in Samaxi?
Baku and Samaxi differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $842 including rent). Samaxi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Baku or Samaxi?
Average pay runs 58% higher in Baku, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Baku and in Samaxi?
Rent for a central apartment: $547 in Baku versus $388 in Samaxi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Baku and Samaxi?
Childcare runs $334 in Baku versus $234 in Samaxi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Baku. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $842 in Samaxi versus $996 in Baku, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Samaxi but tight or insufficient in Baku. The gap between the two cities makes Samaxi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Baku and Samaxi?
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.
Is Baku or Samaxi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Baku and Samaxi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Baku or Samaxi?
Expats usually find Samaxi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Baku. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.