🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Turkmenistan versus $2,643 in United States.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,504 in Turkmenistan versus $3,856 in United States.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,040 in Turkmenistan versus $5,069 in United States.
🙂Living in Turkmenistan costs about 63% less than in United States on average.
📊Turkmenistan (28% below) and United States (97% above) straddle the global median.
📏Turkmenistan ($14.00–$3,146) and United States ($1,346–$5,196) 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
$34.57TMT 116
$20.12$20.12
71.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.7TMT 288
$73.9$73.9
16.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.77TMT 42.89
$11.56$11.56
10.47%
Cappuccino
$7.07TMT 23.75
$5.09$5.09
38.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09TMT 10.37
$2.58$2.58
19.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80TMT 2.68
$2.15$2.15
-62.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.99TMT 16.76
$6.10$6.10
-18.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$14.10TMT 47.37
$6.95$6.95
102.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$4.78TMT 16.05
$1.08$1.08
342.59%
White Bread(500g)
$2.37TMT 7.97
$3.74$3.74
-36.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.21TMT 17.49
$4.53$4.53
15.01%
Eggs
$6.15TMT 20.67
$4.43$4.43
38.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$40.49TMT 136
$12.99$12.99
211.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.84TMT 53.2
$12.25$12.25
29.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.76TMT 63.0
$16.17$16.17
16.02%
Apples(1kg)
$4.41TMT 14.82
$5.31$5.31
-16.95%
Banana(1kg)
$7.94TMT 26.68
$1.64$1.64
384.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.50TMT 21.83
$4.44$4.44
46.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.18TMT 10.67
$5.03$5.03
-36.78%
Potato(1kg)
$1.69TMT 5.68
$2.98$2.98
-43.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.28TMT 4.29
$3.03$3.03
-57.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.95TMT 6.55
$2.26$2.26
-13.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11TMT 3.72
$2.28$2.28
-51.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$28.09TMT 94.4
$10.12$10.12
177.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$39.44TMT 133
$14.94$14.94
163.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.85TMT 16.29
$1.97$1.97
146.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78TMT 9.34
$3.66$3.66
-24.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.14TMT 0.48
$2.43$2.43
-94.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.33TMT 28.00
$64.7$64.7
-87.13%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.85TMT 9.56
$3.83$3.83
-25.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.87TMT 2.93
$1.78$1.78
-51.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.33TMT 27.99
$30.45$30.45
-72.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.42TMT 1.40
$0.88$0.88
-52.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.4KTMT 149.2K
$30.3K$30.3K
46.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$57.0KTMT 191.7K
$25.9K$25.9K
120.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$575TMT 1,930
$205$205
180.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.8TMT 191
$57.6$57.6
-1.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$181TMT 607
$71.9$71.9
151.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$169TMT 569
$45.53$45.53
271.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.20TMT 152
$22.32$22.32
102.51%
Cinema Ticket
$15.52TMT 52.2
$13.82$13.82
12.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$33.73TMT 113
$1,374$1,374
-97.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.9KTMT 87.0K
$23.0K$23.0K
12.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.5TMT 217
$51.3$51.3
25.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$98.1TMT 330
$43.35$43.35
126.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$395TMT 1,326
$91.2$91.2
332.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$291TMT 979
$115$115
152.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,038TMT 3,489
$1,761$1,761
-41.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$645TMT 2,167
$1,428$1,428
-54.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,660TMT 5,578
$2,843$2,843
-41.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,412TMT 4,744
$2,380$2,380
-40.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,541TMT 11.9K
$3,299$3,299
7.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,899TMT 9,741
$2,587$2,587
12.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$662TMT 2,224
$4,234$4,234
-84.37%
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: June 8, 2026
Last update for United States: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $271 in Turkmenistan, $1,635 in United States. Capital cities: $1,143 in Ashgabat vs $1,583 in Washington, MI.
💰National salary averages: $499 in Turkmenistan, $4,496 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 503% higher in United States.
⭐Dining out costs 121% more in United States.
⭐Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.
⭐Salaries are 801% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.
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 $1,580 per month in Turkmenistan and $3,271 in United States, there's a 107% 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?
Turkmenistan is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 vs United States?
In Turkmenistan, $3,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but 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 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.
Turkmenistan vs other spots: cost of living compared