Cost of Living in Turkmenistan - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Turkmenistan
Address: TM

Monthly Cost of Living

Average monthly costs for a single person come to about $1,710 including rent across Turkmenistan.

Estimated average monthly cost for a couple: $2,616 including rent across Turkmenistan.

Average monthly costs for a family of three come to about $3,521 including rent across Turkmenistan.

Living costs in Turkmenistan vary widely – from $14.00 in more affordable cities to $3,334 in major hubs, spanning a $3,320 range across 6 cities.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.01 TMT 93.9

$14.01 TMT 46.94

$56.0 TMT 188

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 TMT 285

$59.7 TMT 200

$340 TMT 1,140

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 TMT 42.69

$11.33 TMT 37.96

$15.58 TMT 52.2

Cappuccino

$6.94 TMT 23.26

$2.78 TMT 9.31

$11.12 TMT 37.24

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 TMT 8.94

$1.40 TMT 4.69

$4.21 TMT 14.09

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 TMT 3.15

$0.60 TMT 1.99

$1.48 TMT 4.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.43 TMT 18.20

$4.29 TMT 14.37

$14.31 TMT 47.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.71 TMT 42.58

$8.48 TMT 28.40

$16.95 TMT 56.8

Milk (1 liter)

$4.36 TMT 14.62

$2.89 TMT 9.67

$5.77 TMT 19.33

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 TMT 6.59

$1.41 TMT 4.72

$4.24 TMT 14.21

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 TMT 18.02

$2.77 TMT 9.29

$12.75 TMT 42.73

Eggs

$5.80 TMT 19.44

$3.87 TMT 12.97

$6.64 TMT 22.24

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.53 TMT 112

$22.68 TMT 76.0

$42.53 TMT 142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.91 TMT 60.0

$8.43 TMT 28.25

$28.10 TMT 94.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.02 TMT 83.8

$17.32 TMT 58.0

$34.65 TMT 116

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 TMT 15.25

$1.71 TMT 5.74

$7.27 TMT 24.34

Banana (1kg)

$8.43 TMT 28.23

$3.12 TMT 10.47

$11.34 TMT 38.00

Oranges (1kg)

$7.19 TMT 24.10

$2.48 TMT 8.32

$10.23 TMT 34.27

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 TMT 12.22

$1.39 TMT 4.65

$4.73 TMT 15.86

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 TMT 7.71

$1.04 TMT 3.47

$2.81 TMT 9.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 TMT 4.97

$1.15 TMT 3.85

$2.01 TMT 6.72

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 TMT 8.71

$1.39 TMT 4.65

$3.34 TMT 11.20

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TMT 3.86

$0.87 TMT 2.93

$1.46 TMT 4.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.53 TMT 85.5

$17.01 TMT 57.0

$28.36 TMT 95.0

Wine (Bottle)

$40.32 TMT 135

$4.03 TMT 13.51

$86.4 TMT 289

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.10 TMT 17.10

$3.16 TMT 10.57

$5.75 TMT 19.26

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 TMT 9.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 TMT 0.41

$0.25 TMT 0.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.81 TMT 32.86

$8.41 TMT 28.18

$11.22 TMT 37.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 TMT 9.27

$1.38 TMT 4.62

$2.77 TMT 9.27

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 TMT 2.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 TMT 28.13

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 TMT 1.49

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$44.1K TMT 147.7K

$43.0K TMT 144.1K

$45.2K TMT 151.3K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$56.3K TMT 188.5K

$45.0K TMT 150.8K

$67.5K TMT 226.2K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$572 TMT 1,916

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$55.0 TMT 184

$28.58 TMT 95.7

$65.7 TMT 220

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.0 TMT 332

$80.4 TMT 269

$144 TMT 481

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$193 TMT 648

$14.16 TMT 47.43

$283 TMT 948

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.79 TMT 147

$33.55 TMT 112

$55.9 TMT 187

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 TMT 29.12

$5.79 TMT 19.41

$14.49 TMT 48.53

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$22.34 TMT 74.8

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K TMT 82.0K

$23.6K TMT 79.1K

$25.3K TMT 84.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 TMT 185

$25.44 TMT 85.2

$84.8 TMT 284

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$115 TMT 385

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$364 TMT 1,218

$157 TMT 526

$570 TMT 1,911

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 TMT 638

$169 TMT 567

$212 TMT 709

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 TMT 3,804

$862 TMT 2,889

$2,012 TMT 6,741

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$985 TMT 3,299

$563 TMT 1,885

$1,407 TMT 4,712

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 TMT 6,041

$866 TMT 2,900

$2,885 TMT 9,665

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,912 TMT 6,406

$1,417 TMT 4,745

$2,550 TMT 8,542

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,540 TMT 11.9K

$3,215 TMT 10.8K

$4,266 TMT 14.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,828 TMT 9,473

$2,518 TMT 8,437

$2,983 TMT 9,992

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 TMT 2,279

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

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

Last update: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National average salary: $483. With average costs at $1,710, the gap is significant. Expats and remote workers with foreign income benefit most.

Expect to spend about $387 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant averages $62.0 for two.

In Ashgabat (capital), expect about $3,334 per month, while Turkmenbasi offers the lowest costs at $14.00 – which city you pick has a tangible effect on the budget.

Cost Highlights

Overall living costs ($1,710) is 24% above the global median of $1,374.

Average rent ($270) is 59% below the global median of $661.

Dining out ($62.0) is 27% above the global median of $49.00.

Public transport ($3.00) is 91% below the global median of $34.00.

By City in Turkmenistan

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Abadan	-	101	$1,623	$2,153	$3,860	$4,359	37.05	92.37
2	Ashgabat	909000	157	$1,827	$3,334	$4,266	$6,848	127.21	92.37
3	Kaka	-	101	$1,642	$2,184	$3,837	$4,340	193.84	1.09
4	Mary	123000		$469	$464	$966	$960	19.17	68.93
5	Turkmenabat	830000		$1,854	$2,110	$4,114	$4,596	22.57	6.88
6	Turkmenbasi	-		$14.15	$14.04	$23.05	$23.06	29.34	9.15

Turkmenistan Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Turkmenistan - Frequently Asked Questions

Turkmenistan generally offers moderate affordability for travelers and longer stays, especially outside major cities. Cost of Living in Turkmenistan varies by area, with local markets and street food keeping daily meals economical, while imported items can push up costs. Housing is often affordable in smaller towns if you’re open to local arrangements, though choices may be tighter in the capital. Public transit and shared taxis provide inexpensive options, and walking or cycling around town keeps expenses down. For longer stays, negotiate a fair longer-term rate in housing and be mindful of service charges in formal accommodations. Tip: map out expat-friendly neighborhoods and set a flexible budget that accounts for occasional price spikes.

Daily life centers on balancing housing, food, transport, and errands across neighborhoods that fit your pace. You’ll find a range of housing – from modest apartments to satellite towns – often with negotiable terms for longer stays. Turkmenistan living cost tends to be lower outside the capital, though you may see higher prices for imported goods or services tied to the expat scene in Ashgabat. To keep costs predictable, cook at home with local produce, use public transit or shared taxis, and shop at markets for fresh staples. For work and errands, seek up-to-date listings and ask locals for reliable, affordable options. Tip: build a simple monthly budget and track it weekly.

Quality of life comes from reliable services, access to healthcare, internet, and a pace that suits you. When choosing a neighborhood, look for proximity to markets, cafes, and quiet streets. A simple budgeting framework helps: categorize housing, food, transport, and personal expenses; assign a monthly cap for each; and review it weekly to accommodate seasonal shifts – for example hotter months may increase cooling costs and outdoor activity opportunities. Stay flexible and tap into local networks for deals on coworking spaces or gym memberships. Tip: keep a small contingency fund and rotate weekend outings to balance savings with new experiences.

Turkmenistan covers a wide cost spectrum. As of 2026, monthly expenses run from about $14.00 in budget-friendly smaller cities to $3,334 in the priciest areas. The gap is big enough to meaningfully affect lifestyle for anyone on a fixed income.

By international standards, Turkmenistan is moderately priced. Smaller cities offer better deals, while capitals run higher. Most visitors and residents find costs manageable without extreme budgeting.

Outside the capital and tourist areas, costs in Turkmenistan drop fast. Turkmenbasi is one of the best budget options – lower costs without giving up access to essential services and everyday amenities.

$3,000 supports a modest but comfortable life in the smaller cities of Turkmenistan, but feels tight in Ashgabat. Rent is the deciding factor – keep housing costs low and the rest of the budget opens up.

Living costs in Turkmenistan are average by world standards. Regional cities offer better value than Ashgabat, and most residents with steady jobs or remote income find things manageable.