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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $985 in Turkmenistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,518 in Turkmenistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,071 in United States versus $2,051 in Turkmenistan.

Living in United States is roughly 168% more expensive than Turkmenistan on average.

United States (97% above) and Turkmenistan (26% below) straddle the global median.

United States ($1,320$5,119) and Turkmenistan ($14.00$3,218) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.23 $20.23
$34.70 TMT 121
-41.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.3 $74.3
$87.2 TMT 305
-14.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.29 $11.29
$12.90 TMT 45.17
-12.48%
Cappuccino
$5.12 $5.12
$7.23 TMT 25.29
-29.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$3.14 TMT 11.00
-19.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 $2.12
$0.73 TMT 2.55
190.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.84 $5.84
$5.10 TMT 17.85
14.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.86 $6.86
$14.48 TMT 50.7
-52.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 $1.03
$4.75 TMT 16.63
-78.32%
White Bread (500g)
$3.73 $3.73
$2.36 TMT 8.25
58.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$5.11 TMT 17.89
-11.74%
Eggs
$4.30 $4.30
$6.15 TMT 21.53
-30.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 $13.16
$40.58 TMT 142
-67.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.40 $12.40
$16.23 TMT 56.8
-23.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.19 $16.19
$18.21 TMT 63.7
-11.09%
Apples (1kg)
$5.33 $5.33
$4.39 TMT 15.35
21.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 $1.73
$7.87 TMT 27.56
-78.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.56 $4.56
$6.44 TMT 22.53
-29.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.88 $4.88
$3.27 TMT 11.46
49.24%
Potato (1kg)
$2.87 $2.87
$1.74 TMT 6.09
64.94%
Onion (1kg)
$3.10 $3.10
$1.26 TMT 4.42
146.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.95 TMT 6.83
14.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 $2.26
$1.10 TMT 3.85
105.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.07 $10.07
$28.35 TMT 99.2
-64.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.27 $15.27
$39.45 TMT 138
-61.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$4.78 TMT 16.74
-58.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 $3.52
$2.91 TMT 10.17
20.96%
🚌 Getting Around
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.57 $2.57
$0.12 TMT 0.44
2041.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.0 $66.0
$8.52 TMT 29.83
674.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.74 $3.74
$2.83 TMT 9.91
32.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 $1.70
$0.88 TMT 3.09
93.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.03 $30.03
$8.82 TMT 30.86
240.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.93 $0.93
$0.44 TMT 1.55
111.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K $30.2K
$43.6K TMT 152.5K
-30.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$58.1K TMT 203.5K
-55.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 $206
$563 TMT 1,971
-63.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.1 $57.1
$58.0 TMT 203
-1.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.2 $73.2
$182 TMT 636
-59.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.50 $46.50
$165 TMT 579
-71.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.07 $22.07
$45.39 TMT 159
-51.38%
Cinema Ticket
$14.14 $14.14
$15.56 TMT 54.5
-9.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,371 $1,371
$34.37 TMT 120
3889.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.8K $22.8K
$25.4K TMT 89.0K
-10.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$66.8 TMT 234
-23.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.27 $42.27
$99.5 TMT 348
-57.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.9 $89.9
$391 TMT 1,367
-76.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 $114
$296 TMT 1,034
-61.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,740 $1,740
$1,037 TMT 3,629
67.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 $1,409
$647 TMT 2,264
117.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,912 $2,912
$1,631 TMT 5,707
78.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,377 $2,377
$1,393 TMT 4,875
70.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,412 $3,412
$3,507 TMT 12.3K
-2.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,669 $2,669
$2,843 TMT 9,952
-6.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,242 $4,242
$660 TMT 2,309
542.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
8.5
-23.41%

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

Last update for United States: April 28, 2026

Last update for Turkmenistan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $270 in Turkmenistan. Capital cities: $2,512 in Washington, DC vs $1,132 in Ashgabat.

National salary averages: $4,494 in United States, $489 in Turkmenistan. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 506% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 121% more in United States.

Public transport is 733% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 819% 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
United States vs Turkmenistan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Turkmenistan or United States?
At $1,616 per month in Turkmenistan and $3,220 in United States, there's a 99% 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.

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