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: $2,097 in Turkmenabat versus $3,178 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,378 in Turkmenabat versus $4,791 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,659 in Turkmenabat versus $6,405 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 57% above, Ashgabat 137% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$57.8 TMT 194

$34.57 TMT 116

67.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 TMT 385

$84.5 TMT 284

35.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.03 TMT 47.15

Cappuccino

$6.94 TMT 23.31

$6.85 TMT 23.02

1.31%

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

$3.28 TMT 11.03

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 TMT 2.96

$0.94 TMT 3.17

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 TMT 18.75

$5.17 TMT 17.38

7.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.39 TMT 48.35

$14.45 TMT 48.56

-0.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.35 TMT 14.60

$4.78 TMT 16.05

-9.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 TMT 8.25

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 TMT 14.61

$7.14 TMT 23.99

-39.08%

Eggs

$6.07 TMT 20.39

Local Cheese (1kg)

$40.72 TMT 137

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 TMT 28.08

$18.21 TMT 61.2

-54.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.32 TMT 61.6

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 TMT 14.46

$5.58 TMT 18.75

-22.94%

Banana (1kg)

$8.17 TMT 27.44

$8.68 TMT 29.17

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.24 TMT 20.96

$7.52 TMT 25.26

-17.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 TMT 6.81

$3.56 TMT 11.98

-42.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 TMT 3.79

$2.24 TMT 7.52

-49.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 TMT 3.03

$1.82 TMT 6.10

-50.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 TMT 6.63

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 TMT 3.93

$1.08 TMT 3.63

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.14 TMT 94.6

$25.93 TMT 87.1

8.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.52 TMT 140

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.62 TMT 15.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TMT 9.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 TMT 0.40

$0.14 TMT 0.48

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.53 TMT 28.68

$8.58 TMT 28.84

-0.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 TMT 9.85

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 TMT 2.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.68 TMT 29.18

$8.80 TMT 29.57

-1.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.42 TMT 1.40

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

$44.7K TMT 150.3K

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

$57.6K TMT 193.5K

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

$565 TMT 1,898

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

$56.7 TMT 191

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$431 TMT 1,447

$103 TMT 347

316.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.3 TMT 290

$192 TMT 645

-55.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 TMT 70.5

$44.56 TMT 150

-52.89%

Cinema Ticket

$16.86 TMT 56.7

$14.24 TMT 47.86

18.40%

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

$56.8 TMT 191

$23.29 TMT 78.3

143.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K TMT 87.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 TMT 218

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 TMT 195

$122 TMT 411

-52.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$421 TMT 1,414

$305 TMT 1,025

37.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$479 TMT 1,609

$187 TMT 629

155.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 TMT 1,655

$1,132 TMT 3,804

-56.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 TMT 969

$736 TMT 2,474

-60.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 TMT 3,901

$1,786 TMT 6,000

-34.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 TMT 1,936

$1,588 TMT 5,336

-63.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,519 TMT 11.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,912 TMT 9,783

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 TMT 1,737

$742 TMT 2,494

-30.34%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $493 in Turkmenabat and $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashgabat pays 44% 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 $84.0 in Ashgabat. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $664, 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 52% in total monthly costs ($2,097 vs $3,178 including rent). Turkmenabat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ashgabat earns 44% less. 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: $493 in Turkmenabat versus $1,132 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $56.8 in Turkmenabat versus $23.29 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 192% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,097 in Turkmenabat versus $3,178 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 52% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.