Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkmenbasi and Ashgabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkmenbasi and Ashgabat

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 TMT 105

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 TMT 285

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 TMT 42.39

Cappuccino

$6.59 TMT 22.07

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

$1.53 TMT 5.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TMT 2.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 TMT 18.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.74 TMT 46.04

Milk (1 liter)

$4.48 TMT 15.00

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 TMT 6.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.82 TMT 19.48

Eggs

$5.93 TMT 19.87

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.90 TMT 127

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.09 TMT 67.3

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.50 TMT 78.7

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 TMT 16.70

Banana (1kg)

$8.53 TMT 28.58

Oranges (1kg)

$7.32 TMT 24.52

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 TMT 12.09

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 TMT 7.80

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 TMT 4.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 TMT 9.00

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 TMT 3.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.56 TMT 85.6

Wine (Bottle)

$42.09 TMT 141

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.26 TMT 17.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 TMT 9.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 TMT 0.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.89 TMT 33.13

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 TMT 9.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 TMT 2.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 TMT 28.17

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 TMT 1.48

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

$44.6K TMT 149.3K

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

$57.2K TMT 191.5K

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

$580 TMT 1,944

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

$56.8 TMT 190

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 347

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$191 TMT 640

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.50 TMT 152

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 TMT 28.58

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

$23.05 TMT 77.2

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K TMT 83.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 TMT 184

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$115 TMT 385

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$365 TMT 1,224

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 TMT 632

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 TMT 4,695

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 TMT 3,351

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 TMT 7,663

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 TMT 6,433

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,527 TMT 11.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,813 TMT 9,422

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$736 TMT 2,467

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 Turkmenbasi: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: October 5, 2026

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

Turkmenbasi vs Ashgabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Turkmenbasi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ashgabat, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Turkmenbasi 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.

It comes down to priorities – Turkmenbasi wins on affordability, Ashgabat on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.