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: $969 in Turkmenistan versus $2,645 in United States.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,497 in Turkmenistan versus $3,858 in United States.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,024 in Turkmenistan versus $5,071 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 ($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
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$34.26 TMTย 120
$20.28 $20.28
68.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.8 TMTย 304
$73.7 $73.7
17.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.08 TMTย 45.77
$11.57 $11.57
13.05%
Cappuccino
$7.16 TMTย 25.07
$5.34 $5.34
34.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 TMTย 11.18
$2.50 $2.50
28.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 TMTย 2.54
$2.10 $2.10
-65.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.18 TMTย 18.15
$5.96 $5.96
-13.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$14.22 TMTย 49.78
$7.03 $7.03
102.28%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.75 TMTย 16.62
$1.09 $1.09
335.78%
White Bread (500g)
$2.42 TMTย 8.46
$3.56 $3.56
-32.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.03 TMTย 17.59
$4.75 $4.75
5.89%
Eggs
$6.19 TMTย 21.67
$4.26 $4.26
45.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$39.61 TMTย 139
$13.05 $13.05
203.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.99 TMTย 56.0
$12.32 $12.32
29.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.63 TMTย 65.2
$16.03 $16.03
16.22%
Apples (1kg)
$4.46 TMTย 15.61
$5.34 $5.34
-16.48%
Banana (1kg)
$7.77 TMTย 27.21
$1.72 $1.72
351.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.52 TMTย 22.83
$4.55 $4.55
43.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 TMTย 11.38
$4.96 $4.96
-34.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.73 TMTย 6.06
$2.92 $2.92
-40.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.28 TMTย 4.48
$3.03 $3.03
-57.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.02 TMTย 7.07
$2.23 $2.23
-9.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 TMTย 4.00
$2.26 $2.26
-49.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$28.00 TMTย 98.0
$10.13 $10.13
176.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$39.69 TMTย 139
$14.93 $14.93
165.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.70 TMTย 16.43
$1.94 $1.94
142.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 TMTย 9.84
$3.51 $3.51
-19.94%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.14 TMTย 0.50
$2.55 $2.55
-94.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 TMTย 30.87
$65.8 $65.8
-86.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 TMTย 10.30
$3.82 $3.82
-23.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.83 TMTย 2.91
$1.69 $1.69
-50.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.44 TMTย 29.55
$29.65 $29.65
-71.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.45 TMTย 1.56
$0.90 $0.90
-50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.1K TMTย 154.3K
$30.5K $30.5K
44.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$56.4K TMTย 197.3K
$26.4K $26.4K
113.92%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$570 TMTย 1,995
$205 $205
178.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.6 TMTย 202
$57.2 $57.2
0.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$181 TMTย 632
$71.5 $71.5
152.79%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$167 TMTย 584
$45.76 $45.76
264.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.49 TMTย 159
$22.31 $22.31
103.90%
Cinema Ticket
$15.63 TMTย 54.7
$13.89 $13.89
12.53%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$34.57 TMTย 121
$1,380 $1,380
-97.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.5K TMTย 89.2K
$22.5K $22.5K
13.47%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8 TMTย 234
$52.9 $52.9
26.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$101 TMTย 355
$42.81 $42.81
136.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$383 TMTย 1,339
$88.8 $88.8
330.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$285 TMTย 998
$113 $113
151.32%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,032 TMTย 3,613
$1,742 $1,742
-40.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 TMTย 2,326
$1,431 $1,431
-53.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,684 TMTย 5,896
$2,864 $2,864
-41.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,424 TMTย 4,982
$2,422 $2,422
-41.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,480 TMTย 12.2K
$3,466 $3,466
0.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,854 TMTย 9,991
$2,650 $2,650
7.72%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Turkmenistan
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 TMTย 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

National rent averages: $273 in Turkmenistan, $1,634 in United States. Capital cities: $1,147 in Ashgabat vs $2,570 in Washington, DC.

National 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

Rent is 499% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 121% more in United States.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.

Salaries 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.

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