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: $2,081 in Turkmenabat versus $3,149 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Turkmenabat versus $4,892 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,671 in Turkmenabat versus $6,636 in Ashgabat.

Living in Turkmenabat costs roughly 34% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Turkmenabat 56% above, Ashgabat 136% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$56.6 TMT 190

$34.40 TMT 116

64.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 TMT 388

$85.5 TMT 287

35.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.22 TMT 47.77

Cappuccino

$7.07 TMT 23.75

$7.19 TMT 24.17

-1.67%

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

$3.17 TMT 10.67

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TMT 2.75

$0.94 TMT 3.16

-12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 TMT 19.10

$5.28 TMT 17.74

7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.06 TMT 47.25

$14.19 TMT 47.67

-0.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.39 TMT 14.74

$4.85 TMT 16.29

-9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 TMT 8.18

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 TMT 14.11

$7.15 TMT 24.02

-41.26%

Eggs

$6.12 TMT 20.57

Local Cheese (1kg)

$40.33 TMT 136

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 TMT 28.34

$18.24 TMT 61.3

-53.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 TMT 62.2

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 TMT 14.31

$5.59 TMT 18.77

-23.79%

Banana (1kg)

$7.78 TMT 26.13

$9.01 TMT 30.27

-13.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.17 TMT 20.74

$7.83 TMT 26.32

-21.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 TMT 6.78

$3.62 TMT 12.17

-44.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 TMT 3.91

$2.25 TMT 7.57

-48.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 TMT 3.01

$1.83 TMT 6.14

-50.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 TMT 6.65

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 TMT 3.76

$1.14 TMT 3.82

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.68 TMT 96.4

$26.11 TMT 87.7

9.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.56 TMT 140

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 TMT 15.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 TMT 9.41

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 TMT 0.54

$0.16 TMT 0.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.75 TMT 29.39

$8.37 TMT 28.12

4.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 TMT 9.56

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 TMT 2.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 TMT 29.02

$8.80 TMT 29.57

-1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 TMT 1.39

$0.45 TMT 1.50

-8.89%

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

$44.8K TMT 150.5K

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

$57.2K TMT 192.1K

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

$569 TMT 1,911

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

$57.6 TMT 194

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$425 TMT 1,429

$103 TMT 345

314.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.4 TMT 284

$195 TMT 657

-56.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.43 TMT 72.0

$44.83 TMT 151

-52.20%

Cinema Ticket

$16.88 TMT 56.7

$14.37 TMT 48.27

17.47%

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

$56.0 TMT 188

$22.96 TMT 77.2

144.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K TMT 84.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 TMT 223

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 TMT 190

$121 TMT 407

-53.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$425 TMT 1,429

$304 TMT 1,021

40.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$477 TMT 1,601

$187 TMT 627

155.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 TMT 1,616

$1,109 TMT 3,726

-56.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 TMT 973

$739 TMT 2,482

-60.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 TMT 3,854

$1,797 TMT 6,038

-36.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 TMT 1,889

$1,578 TMT 5,301

-64.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,489 TMT 11.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,850 TMT 9,575

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$521 TMT 1,750

$763 TMT 2,564

-31.74%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Turkmenabat and $1,109 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 47% 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: $116 in Turkmenabat vs $86.0 in Ashgabat. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $669, 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 51% in total monthly costs ($2,081 vs $3,149 including rent). Turkmenabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 47% 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: $481 in Turkmenabat versus $1,109 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $56.0 in Turkmenabat versus $22.96 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 198% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,081 in Turkmenabat versus $3,149 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 51% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.