๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $969 in Turkmenistan versus $2,645 in United States.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,497 in Turkmenistan versus $3,858 in United States.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,024 in Turkmenistan versus $5,071 in United States.
๐Living in Turkmenistan costs about 63% less than in United States on average.
๐Turkmenistan (28% below) and United States (97% above) straddle the global median.
๐Turkmenistan ($14โ$3,137) and United States ($1,335โ$5,185) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$34.26TMTย 120
$20.28$20.28
68.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.8TMTย 304
$73.7$73.7
17.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.08TMTย 45.77
$11.57$11.57
13.05%
Cappuccino
$7.16TMTย 25.07
$5.34$5.34
34.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20TMTย 11.18
$2.50$2.50
28.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72TMTย 2.54
$2.10$2.10
-65.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.18TMTย 18.15
$5.96$5.96
-13.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$14.22TMTย 49.78
$7.03$7.03
102.28%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$4.75TMTย 16.62
$1.09$1.09
335.78%
White Bread(500g)
$2.42TMTย 8.46
$3.56$3.56
-32.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.03TMTย 17.59
$4.75$4.75
5.89%
Eggs
$6.19TMTย 21.67
$4.26$4.26
45.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$39.61TMTย 139
$13.05$13.05
203.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.99TMTย 56.0
$12.32$12.32
29.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.63TMTย 65.2
$16.03$16.03
16.22%
Apples(1kg)
$4.46TMTย 15.61
$5.34$5.34
-16.48%
Banana(1kg)
$7.77TMTย 27.21
$1.72$1.72
351.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.52TMTย 22.83
$4.55$4.55
43.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.25TMTย 11.38
$4.96$4.96
-34.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.73TMTย 6.06
$2.92$2.92
-40.75%
Onion(1kg)
$1.28TMTย 4.48
$3.03$3.03
-57.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.02TMTย 7.07
$2.23$2.23
-9.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14TMTย 4.00
$2.26$2.26
-49.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$28.00TMTย 98.0
$10.13$10.13
176.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$39.69TMTย 139
$14.93$14.93
165.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.70TMTย 16.43
$1.94$1.94
142.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81TMTย 9.84
$3.51$3.51
-19.94%
๐ Getting Around
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.14TMTย 0.50
$2.55$2.55
-94.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.82TMTย 30.87
$65.8$65.8
-86.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.94TMTย 10.30
$3.82$3.82
-23.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.83TMTย 2.91
$1.69$1.69
-50.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.44TMTย 29.55
$29.65$29.65
-71.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.45TMTย 1.56
$0.90$0.90
-50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.1KTMTย 154.3K
$30.5K$30.5K
44.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$56.4KTMTย 197.3K
$26.4K$26.4K
113.92%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$570TMTย 1,995
$205$205
178.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.6TMTย 202
$57.2$57.2
0.77%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$181TMTย 632
$71.5$71.5
152.79%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$167TMTย 584
$45.76$45.76
264.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.49TMTย 159
$22.31$22.31
103.90%
Cinema Ticket
$15.63TMTย 54.7
$13.89$13.89
12.53%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$34.57TMTย 121
$1,380$1,380
-97.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.5KTMTย 89.2K
$22.5K$22.5K
13.47%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8TMTย 234
$52.9$52.9
26.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$101TMTย 355
$42.81$42.81
136.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$383TMTย 1,339
$88.8$88.8
330.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$285TMTย 998
$113$113
151.32%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,032TMTย 3,613
$1,742$1,742
-40.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$665TMTย 2,326
$1,431$1,431
-53.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,684TMTย 5,896
$2,864$2,864
-41.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,424TMTย 4,982
$2,422$2,422
-41.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,480TMTย 12.2K
$3,466$3,466
0.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,854TMTย 9,991
$2,650$2,650
7.72%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667TMTย 2,333
$4,320$4,320
-84.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.5
6.51
30.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Turkmenistan: April 22, 2026
Last update for United States: April 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ National rent averages: $273 in Turkmenistan, $1,634 in United States. Capital cities: $1,147 in Ashgabat vs $2,570 in Washington, DC.
๐ฐNational salary averages: $492 in Turkmenistan, $4,489 in United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
โญRent is 499% higher in United States.
โญDining out costs 121% more in United States.
โญPublic transport is 733% more expensive in United States.
โญSalaries are 812% 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 $1,576 per month in Turkmenistan and $3,260 in United States, there's a 107% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ 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 โ 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