Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkmenabat and Ashgabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkmenabat and Ashgabat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,110 in Turkmenabat versus $3,334 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,353 in Turkmenabat versus $5,091 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,596 in Turkmenabat versus $6,848 in Ashgabat.

Living in Turkmenabat costs roughly 37% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Turkmenabat 54% above, Ashgabat 143% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$56.4 TMT 189

$31.57 TMT 106

78.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 TMT 384

$85.0 TMT 285

34.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 TMT 43.06

Cappuccino

$7.28 TMT 24.37

$6.88 TMT 23.05

5.81%

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

$1.59 TMT 5.34

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 TMT 2.80

$0.82 TMT 2.75

2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 TMT 19.56

$5.80 TMT 19.44

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.15 TMT 47.40

$13.72 TMT 45.96

3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.33 TMT 14.49

$4.41 TMT 14.77

-1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TMT 6.99

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 TMT 14.42

$6.01 TMT 20.14

-28.45%

Eggs

$6.10 TMT 20.44

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.39 TMT 125

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 TMT 28.84

$19.96 TMT 66.9

-56.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.41 TMT 78.4

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 TMT 13.89

$4.96 TMT 16.61

-16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$8.18 TMT 27.39

$8.53 TMT 28.59

-4.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.10 TMT 20.42

$7.59 TMT 25.42

-19.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 TMT 6.58

$3.60 TMT 12.05

-45.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 TMT 3.77

$2.32 TMT 7.78

-51.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 TMT 2.96

$1.40 TMT 4.69

-37.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 TMT 8.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 TMT 3.76

$1.09 TMT 3.64

2.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.00 TMT 97.1

$25.76 TMT 86.3

12.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$40.58 TMT 136

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.11 TMT 17.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TMT 9.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 TMT 0.53

$0.14 TMT 0.48

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.46 TMT 28.34

$10.09 TMT 33.80

-16.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 TMT 9.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 TMT 2.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.36 TMT 28.01

$8.75 TMT 29.31

-4.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 TMT 1.37

$0.44 TMT 1.49

-6.82%

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

$43.6K TMT 146.1K

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

$58.1K TMT 194.6K

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

$577 TMT 1,934

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

$56.5 TMT 189

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$431 TMT 1,445

$103 TMT 344

320.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.1 TMT 285

$196 TMT 657

-56.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.80 TMT 69.7

$44.21 TMT 148

-52.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.07 TMT 57.2

$8.70 TMT 29.14

96.21%

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

$56.3 TMT 189

$23.24 TMT 77.8

142.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K TMT 82.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 TMT 184

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 TMT 188

$113 TMT 378

-50.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$425 TMT 1,424

$362 TMT 1,212

17.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$488 TMT 1,636

$193 TMT 645

153.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 TMT 1,632

$1,132 TMT 3,793

-56.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 TMT 943

$996 TMT 3,337

-71.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 TMT 3,756

$2,279 TMT 7,636

-50.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 TMT 1,922

$1,950 TMT 6,532

-70.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,565 TMT 11.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,854 TMT 9,559

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 TMT 1,696

$737 TMT 2,470

-31.32%

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 Turkmenabat: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Turkmenabat and $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 46% 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: $115 in Turkmenabat vs $85.0 in Ashgabat. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $666, 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

Turkmenabat vs Ashgabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turkmenabat and Ashgabat differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($2,110 vs $3,334 including rent). Turkmenabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Ashgabat. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Turkmenabat versus $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $56.3 in Turkmenabat versus $23.24 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 194% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,110 in Turkmenabat versus $3,334 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, Turkmenabat and Ashgabat 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 58% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.