Ashgabat vs Ankara Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Ashgabat leads on CPI (20.1 vs 26.2, NYC=100), Ashgabat leads on rent index, and Ankara leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Ashgabat
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Salary (1607% gap, Ankara ahead); Internet (1401% gap, Ashgabat ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $227 lower in Ashgabat than in Ankara (~50% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $227 (favoring Ashgabat).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Ashgabat | CPI 20.1 vs 26.2 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Ashgabat | Rent index 11.8 vs 17.7 (lower is better) |
| Food | Ashgabat | Groceries index 28.1 vs 30.2 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Ashgabat | One-way ticket 1.1 vs 14.36 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Ashgabat | Utilities (85m²) 82.6 vs 1161.12 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Ashgabat | Internet 52.92 vs 794.42 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Ashgabat | Restaurant index 20 vs 25 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Ankara | Avg net salary 91105.28 vs 5338.2 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Ankara | PP index 44.8 vs 24.6 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Salary: Ankara leads with a 1607% gap.
Avg net salary 91105.28 vs 5338.2 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Ashgabat — Lower housing / rent index (50% gap).
- Families: Ashgabat — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Ashgabat; purchasing power favors Ankara.
- Remote Workers: Ashgabat — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Ashgabat (~30% gap).
- Budget Living: Ashgabat — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Ashgabat is the overall cost winner on CPI (~30% lower everyday-cost index than Ankara).
- Housing: Ashgabat leads on rent index (50% gap).
- Food / groceries: Ashgabat is lower (7% gap).
- Purchasing power: Ankara scores higher (82% gap).
- Largest category gap: Salary (1607%), favoring Ankara.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$227 cheaper in Ashgabat.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 20.1/26.2, rent 11.8/17.7, purchasing power 24.6/44.8. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.