Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baku and Zaqatala

For one person, living is cheaper in Zaqatala: $352 a month against $996 in Baku, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Baku
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Baku Living Index
18

Cost of Living Index in Zaqatala
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Zaqatala Living Index

Jump to prices

Baku

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$996

/mo nomad

Zaqatala

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$352

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baku and in Zaqatala

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 Zaqatala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Baku versus $352 in Zaqatala.

Baku $996
Zaqatala $352

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Baku versus $585 in Zaqatala.

Baku $1,551
Zaqatala $585

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,107 in Baku versus $817 in Zaqatala.

Baku $2,107
Zaqatala $817

Living in Baku is roughly 183% more expensive than in Zaqatala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baku 26% lower, Zaqatala 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.84 ₼15.02

$4.82 ₼8.20

83.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.43 ₼67.0

$20.95 ₼35.61

88.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 ₼14.04

$5.23 ₼8.89

57.93%

Cappuccino

$3.50 ₼5.95

$2.40 ₼4.08

45.83%

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

$1.12 ₼1.91

$0.61 ₼1.04

83.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₼0.97

$0.55 ₼0.93

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ₼2.93

$1.74 ₼2.95

-1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₼5.06

$2.96 ₼5.03

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ₼2.54

$1.03 ₼1.75

44.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₼0.84

$0.42 ₼0.72

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ₼4.21

$2.29 ₼3.88

8.30%

Eggs

$1.99 ₼3.38

$1.40 ₼2.37

42.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.16 ₼8.77

$3.60 ₼6.11

43.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 ₼8.79

$2.28 ₼3.88

126.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 ₼20.15

$8.06 ₼13.69

47.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₼2.28

$0.79 ₼1.35

69.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₼3.22

$1.16 ₼1.98

63.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ₼2.68

$0.57 ₼0.96

177.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₼3.13

$0.73 ₼1.23

152.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₼1.25

$0.30 ₼0.51

146.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 ₼1.03

$0.38 ₼0.64

60.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₼1.24

$0.93 ₼1.58

-21.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₼1.32

$0.57 ₼0.97

36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₼5.05

$1.71 ₼2.91

73.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₼14.59

$8.70 ₼14.78

-1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₼2.60

$1.19 ₼2.03

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₼4.79

$2.00 ₼3.40

41.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₼0.62

$0.19 ₼0.33

89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.86 ₼35.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 ₼3.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₼0.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 ₼6.18

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 ₼1.09

$0.66 ₼1.13

-3.03%

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

$23.3K ₼39.6K

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

$22.1K ₼37.5K

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

$67.7 ₼115

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

$11.11 ₼18.88

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ₼25.65

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.83 ₼81.3

$33.58 ₼57.1

42.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₼28.32

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ₼9.76

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

$334 ₼568

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,829 ₼11.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 ₼112

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 ₼93.7

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 ₼211

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₼195

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 ₼930

$119 ₼202

360.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₼511

$83.3 ₼142

261.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$974 ₼1,655

$233 ₼396

318.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₼830

$147 ₼249

232.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,177 ₼3,699

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 ₼2,235

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 ₼932

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Baku: October 19, 2026

Last update for Zaqatala: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Baku

$301 30.2%

Zaqatala

$83 23.7% 72.3% $217

Groceries & Markets

Baku

$194 19.5%

Zaqatala

$132 37.5% 32.1% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Baku

$162 16.2%

Zaqatala

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Baku

$159 16%

Zaqatala

$102 29.1% 35.6% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Baku

$94 9.4%

Zaqatala

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Baku

$59 6%

Zaqatala

$34 * 9.5% 43.4% $26

Getting Around

Baku

$27 2.7%

Zaqatala

$0.8 * 0.2% 97.1% $27

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Baku and $119 in Zaqatala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Baku vs $21.00 in Zaqatala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $132 per month, with Zaqatala cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇿 Baku

🇦🇿 Zaqatala

🕒 Local time

14:53 2:53 PM

Same time as Baku

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,300,500 Capital

21,800

💱 Currency

Azerbaijani Manat AZN ₼

📈 Exchange rate

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.523 EUR

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.523 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Baku Zaqatala 300 km

From you

Baku
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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 Zaqatala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baku and Zaqatala differ by about 183% in total monthly costs ($996 vs $352 including rent). Zaqatala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,494 in Baku and $528 in Zaqatala to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $547 in Baku versus $119 in Zaqatala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zaqatala – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $39.00 in Baku. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $996 per month in Baku versus $352 in Zaqatala – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $352 in Zaqatala versus $996 in Baku, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zaqatala but tight or insufficient in Baku. The gap between the two cities makes Zaqatala 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, Baku and Zaqatala 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 Zaqatala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Baku. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.