For a comfortable life in Dushanbe, a single person needs about 4,850 somonis (518 USD) per month, excluding rent. A family of four would require more than 17,000 somonis (1,800 USD) to cover basic expenses. These figures come from "Numbeo," a global database that calculates the cost of living in various countries.
A recent study, published on September 22 and covering the current month, highlights that the monthly costs for an individual include transportation, food, clothing, utilities, internet, and other essentials, excluding housing rent.
Rent prices in Dushanbe
Rent prices in Dushanbe vary depending on location and the size of the apartment. According to "Numbeo," the average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the city center is 4,080 somonis, while on the outskirts, it’s 2,360 somonis. For a three-bedroom apartment, these prices rise to 7,050 somonis in the city center and 4,250 somonis on the outskirts.
For those looking to buy property, the price per square meter in the city center is 9,500 somonis, compared to 6,112 somonis outside the center.
Utility and communications costs
The cost of utilities in Dushanbe for an 85 m² apartment is approximately 518 somonis per month, covering basic services like electricity, heating, water, and waste disposal. Mobile services, including calls and 10GB+ internet, range from 135 to 185 somonis.
Food prices
Food prices are also provided by the study, with basic items costing as follows:
- Milk: 9.89 somonis
- Bread: 5.50 somonis
- 1 kg of rice: 20 somonis
- 12 eggs: 16.55 somonis
- 1 kg of cheese: 110 somonis
- 1 kg of chicken: 43 somonis
- 1 kg of beef: 102 somonis
Transportation costs
In Dushanbe, a minibus ride costs 2.50 somonis, with an average monthly expenditure on transportation of around 100 somonis. Taxi fares start at 10 somonis, with an additional 3 somonis per kilometer. Gasoline costs 10.28 somonis per liter.
Expense breakdown
For a single person, monthly expenses are generally distributed as follows:
- Rent: 20.5%
- Market (food and goods): 37.2%
- Sports: 6.8%
- Transportation: 9.7%
- Dining out: 15.4%
In conclusion, living in Dushanbe requires a significant amount of financial planning, especially for families. With rent, utilities, food, and transportation contributing to the overall cost of living, individuals and families need to budget wisely to maintain a good quality of life in the Tajik capital.
