Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dushanbe and Isfara

For one person, living is cheaper in Isfara: $105 a month against $948 in Dushanbe, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Dushanbe
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Dushanbe Living Index

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Dushanbe

🇹🇯 Tajikistan

$948

/mo nomad

Isfara

🇹🇯 Tajikistan

$105

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dushanbe and in Isfara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dushanbe and in Isfara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $948 per month in Dushanbe vs $105 in Isfara, rent included.

Dushanbe $948
Isfara $105

A couple spends around $1,410 per month in Dushanbe vs $207 in Isfara, rent included.

Dushanbe $1,410
Isfara $207

A family of three spends $1,872 per month in Dushanbe vs $309 in Isfara, rent included.

Dushanbe $1,872
Isfara $309

Dushanbe costs about 802% more than Isfara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dushanbe and Isfara are more affordable than the global median – Dushanbe 30% lower, Isfara 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.83 TJS 44.62

$8.63 TJS 79.8

-44.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.59 TJS 190

$12.81 TJS 118

60.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 TJS 51.5

Cappuccino

$1.82 TJS 16.85

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

$0.61 TJS 5.65

$0.90 TJS 8.31

-32.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TJS 3.08

$0.55 TJS 5.09

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 TJS 10.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 TJS 22.73

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 TJS 9.78

$0.67 TJS 6.22

58.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 TJS 5.44

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 TJS 21.46

Eggs

$1.76 TJS 16.29

$1.67 TJS 15.45

5.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 TJS 103

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 TJS 41.08

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 TJS 108

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 TJS 17.71

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 TJS 26.96

$2.35 TJS 21.69

24.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 TJS 25.19

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 TJS 11.28

$0.53 TJS 4.87

130.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 TJS 5.53

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 TJS 3.75

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 TJS 11.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 TJS 6.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 TJS 35.91

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 TJS 105

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 TJS 14.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 TJS 19.25

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TJS 2.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.21 TJS 298

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 TJS 10.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TJS 2.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 TJS 60.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 TJS 10.87

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

$16.4K TJS 151.8K

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

$24.5K TJS 226.6K

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

$67.7 TJS 625

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

$10.12 TJS 93.5

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.24 TJS 159

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.46 TJS 429

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 TJS 131

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 TJS 49.90

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

$83.7 TJS 773

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,749 TJS 53.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.06 TJS 222

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 TJS 483

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 TJS 729

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.2 TJS 528

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 TJS 5,867

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 TJS 3,269

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 TJS 8,147

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 TJS 5,253

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,290 TJS 11.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 TJS 6,547

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 TJS 4,017

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

23.17

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

Last update for Dushanbe: October 13, 2026

Last update for Isfara: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dushanbe

$354 37.4%

Isfara

–

Groceries & Markets

Dushanbe

$218 23%

Isfara

–

Clothing & Footwear

Dushanbe

$96 10.1%

Isfara

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dushanbe

$95 10%

Isfara

–

Eating Out

Dushanbe

$92 9.7%

Isfara

–

Sport & Entertainment

Dushanbe

$57 6%

Isfara

–

Getting Around

Dushanbe

$36 3.8%

Isfara

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Dushanbe versus $13.00 in Isfara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $30.00 – making Isfara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇯 Dushanbe

🇹🇯 Isfara

🕒 Local time

17:52 5:52 PM

Same time as Dushanbe

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

679,400 Capital

274,000

💱 Currency

Tajikistani Somoni TJS ЅМ

📈 Exchange rate

100 TJS = 10.83 USD

100 TJS = 9.63 EUR

100 TJS = 10.83 USD

100 TJS = 9.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Dushanbe Isfara 230 km

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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

Dushanbe vs Isfara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dushanbe is pricier by about 802%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Dushanbe and $158 in Isfara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 623% more in Dushanbe, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Dushanbe and $13.00 in Isfara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isfara, where all-in costs run around $105, than in Dushanbe at $948. In Isfara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dushanbe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isfara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Isfara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dushanbe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.