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 $968 in Turkmenistan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,856 in United States versus $1,504 in Turkmenistan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,069 in United States versus $2,040 in Turkmenistan.

Living in United States is roughly 173% more expensive than Turkmenistan on average.

United States (97% above) and Turkmenistan (28% below) straddle the global median.

United States ($1,346$5,196) and Turkmenistan ($14.00$3,146) 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
$20.12 $20.12
$34.57 TMT 116
-41.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.9 $73.9
$85.7 TMT 288
-13.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.56 $11.56
$12.77 TMT 42.89
-9.48%
Cappuccino
$5.09 $5.09
$7.07 TMT 23.75
-28.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.09 TMT 10.37
-16.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 $2.15
$0.80 TMT 2.68
168.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.10 $6.10
$4.99 TMT 16.76
22.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.95 $6.95
$14.10 TMT 47.37
-50.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$4.78 TMT 16.05
-77.41%
White Bread (500g)
$3.74 $3.74
$2.37 TMT 7.97
57.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.53 $4.53
$5.21 TMT 17.49
-13.05%
Eggs
$4.43 $4.43
$6.15 TMT 20.67
-27.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.99 $12.99
$40.49 TMT 136
-67.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.25 $12.25
$15.84 TMT 53.2
-22.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.17 $16.17
$18.76 TMT 63.0
-13.81%
Apples (1kg)
$5.31 $5.31
$4.41 TMT 14.82
20.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 $1.64
$7.94 TMT 26.68
-79.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.44 $4.44
$6.50 TMT 21.83
-31.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.03 $5.03
$3.18 TMT 10.67
58.18%
Potato (1kg)
$2.98 $2.98
$1.69 TMT 5.68
76.33%
Onion (1kg)
$3.03 $3.03
$1.28 TMT 4.29
136.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 $2.26
$1.95 TMT 6.55
15.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$1.11 TMT 3.72
105.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.12 $10.12
$28.09 TMT 94.4
-63.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.94 $14.94
$39.44 TMT 133
-62.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$4.85 TMT 16.29
-59.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 $3.66
$2.78 TMT 9.34
31.65%
🚌 Getting Around
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.43 $2.43
$0.14 TMT 0.48
1635.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.7 $64.7
$8.33 TMT 28.00
676.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 $3.83
$2.85 TMT 9.56
34.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.78 $1.78
$0.87 TMT 2.93
104.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.45 $30.45
$8.33 TMT 27.99
265.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$0.42 TMT 1.40
109.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K $30.3K
$44.4K TMT 149.2K
-31.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$57.0K TMT 191.7K
-54.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 $205
$575 TMT 1,930
-64.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.6 $57.6
$56.8 TMT 191
1.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.9 $71.9
$181 TMT 607
-60.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.53 $45.53
$169 TMT 569
-73.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.32 $22.32
$45.20 TMT 152
-50.62%
Cinema Ticket
$13.82 $13.82
$15.52 TMT 52.2
-10.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,374 $1,374
$33.73 TMT 113
3973.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K $23.0K
$25.9K TMT 87.0K
-10.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$64.5 TMT 217
-20.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.35 $43.35
$98.1 TMT 330
-55.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.2 $91.2
$395 TMT 1,326
-76.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$291 TMT 979
-60.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,761 $1,761
$1,038 TMT 3,489
69.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,428 $1,428
$645 TMT 2,167
121.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,843 $2,843
$1,660 TMT 5,578
71.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,380 $2,380
$1,412 TMT 4,744
68.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,299 $3,299
$3,541 TMT 11.9K
-6.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,587 $2,587
$2,899 TMT 9,741
-10.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United States
Turkmenistan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,234 $4,234
$662 TMT 2,224
539.65%
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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Turkmenistan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $271 in Turkmenistan. Capital cities: $1,583 in Washington, MI vs $1,143 in Ashgabat.

National salary averages: $4,496 in United States, $499 in Turkmenistan. 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
United States vs Turkmenistan: 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.

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