Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkmenistan and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkmenistan and United States

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $965 in Turkmenistan versus $2,643 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Turkmenistan versus $3,857 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Turkmenistan versus $5,070 in United States.

Living in Turkmenistan costs about 63% less than in United States on average.

Turkmenistan (27% below) and United States (99% above) straddle the global median.

Turkmenistan ($15.00$3,109) and United States ($1,341$5,153) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$34.70 TMT 117
$19.67 $19.67
76.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.1 TMT 293
$73.9 $73.9
17.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.92 TMT 43.40
$11.35 $11.35
13.83%
Cappuccino
$7.08 TMT 23.80
$5.15 $5.15
37.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 TMT 10.47
$2.54 $2.54
22.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 TMT 2.46
$2.14 $2.14
-65.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.12 TMT 17.21
$6.13 $6.13
-16.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$14.54 TMT 48.85
$6.84 $6.84
112.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.72 TMT 15.86
$1.04 $1.04
353.85%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 TMT 8.24
$3.54 $3.54
-30.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.03 TMT 16.91
$4.66 $4.66
7.94%
Eggs
$6.12 TMT 20.58
$4.20 $4.20
45.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$40.67 TMT 137
$12.73 $12.73
219.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.31 TMT 54.8
$12.45 $12.45
31.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.50 TMT 62.2
$16.15 $16.15
14.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 TMT 14.56
$5.16 $5.16
-16.09%
Banana (1kg)
$8.06 TMT 27.10
$1.72 $1.72
368.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.59 TMT 22.15
$4.61 $4.61
42.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.30 TMT 11.08
$4.95 $4.95
-33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 TMT 5.88
$3.01 $3.01
-41.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 TMT 4.23
$3.16 $3.16
-60.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.01 TMT 6.76
$2.25 $2.25
-10.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 TMT 3.69
$2.19 $2.19
-49.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$29.05 TMT 97.6
$10.07 $10.07
188.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$40.72 TMT 137
$15.26 $15.26
166.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.82 TMT 16.21
$2.01 $2.01
139.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 TMT 9.38
$3.53 $3.53
-20.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.15 TMT 0.49
$2.45 $2.45
-93.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.70 TMT 29.24
$65.3 $65.3
-86.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.79 TMT 9.38
$3.73 $3.73
-25.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 TMT 2.93
$1.76 $1.76
-50.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 TMT 28.14
$29.83 $29.83
-71.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.41 TMT 1.38
$0.96 $0.96
-57.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.7K TMT 150.4K
$29.5K $29.5K
51.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$58.2K TMT 195.4K
$26.2K $26.2K
121.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$571 TMT 1,917
$204 $204
179.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.2 TMT 196
$56.7 $56.7
2.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$182 TMT 611
$71.7 $71.7
153.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$166 TMT 559
$45.88 $45.88
262.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$44.58 TMT 150
$21.70 $21.70
105.44%
Cinema Ticket
$15.42 TMT 51.8
$13.96 $13.96
10.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$33.81 TMT 114
$1,400 $1,400
-97.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.0K TMT 87.5K
$23.0K $23.0K
13.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.6 TMT 217
$53.3 $53.3
21.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$102 TMT 342
$42.28 $42.28
140.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$396 TMT 1,331
$91.5 $91.5
332.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$293 TMT 986
$114 $114
157.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,066 TMT 3,582
$1,704 $1,704
-37.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$662 TMT 2,225
$1,454 $1,454
-54.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 TMT 5,470
$2,933 $2,933
-44.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 TMT 4,695
$2,420 $2,420
-42.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,531 TMT 11.9K
$3,366 $3,366
4.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,870 TMT 9,643
$2,596 $2,596
10.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$668 TMT 2,244
$4,392 $4,392
-84.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.5
6.51
30.57%

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

Last update for Turkmenistan: July 28, 2026

Last update for United States: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $267 in Turkmenistan, $1,635 in United States. Capital cities: $1,127 in Ashgabat vs $2,575 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $489 in Turkmenistan, $4,499 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 512% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 121% more in United States.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 820% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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
Turkmenistan vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Turkmenistan or United States?
At $1,562 per month in Turkmenistan and $3,247 in United States, there's a 108% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Turkmenistan or United States?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Turkmenistan: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Turkmenistan and United States?
Rent in United States is consistently higher than in Turkmenistan across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $3,000 go in Turkmenistan compared to United States?
In Turkmenistan, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Turkmenistan and in United States?
It depends on what you're after: Turkmenistan wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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