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