Cost Of Living For a Student in Tajikistan 2024
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: TJS
Average monthly spending for students in Tajikistan
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Tajikistan?
Students in Tajikistan spend around 5,700 TJS per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 870 TJS or as high as 38,000 TJS. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Tajikistan
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 29,000 TJS | 58,000 TJS | 78,000 TJS |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 970 TJS | 1,500 TJS | 3,900 TJS |
1-bedroom apartment
| 1,500 TJS | 2,300 TJS | 5,800 TJS |
2-bedroom apartment
| 1,900 TJS | 2,900 TJS | 7,800 TJS |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 190,000 TJS | 290,000 TJS | 580,000 TJS |
1-bedroom apartment
| 230,000 TJS | 390,000 TJS | 1.5M TJS |
2-bedroom apartment
| 390,000 TJS | 1.2M TJS | 2.3M TJS |
| $36,000 | $110,000 | $210,000 |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 1,200 TJS | 1,500 TJS | 1,900 TJS |
Double Bed
| 780 TJS | 1,200 TJS | 1,500 TJS |
Single Bed
| 690 TJS | 900 TJS | 1,200 TJS |
Living Room
| 1,300 TJS | 1,700 TJS | 5,800 TJS |
Dining Table
| 580 TJS | 780 TJS | 1,500 TJS |
Sofa or Couch
| 780 TJS | 1,100 TJS | 2,300 TJS |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 780 TJS | 1,200 TJS | 2,300 TJS |
Fridge or Freezer
| 690 TJS | 1,100 TJS | 1,500 TJS |
Washing Machine
| 900 TJS | 1,300 TJS | 2,300 TJS |
Stove or Cooker
| 840 TJS | 1,100 TJS | 1,500 TJS |
Mobile Phone
| 970 TJS | 1,200 TJS | 1,700 TJS |
Laptop or Computer
| 1,100 TJS | 1,300 TJS | 2,300 TJS |
How do students spend their money in Tajikistan?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost18%
18% of total expenses on average (13% to 24%)
| LOW | $19 210 TJS |
| AVERAGE | $130 1,400 TJS |
| HIGH | $840 9,200 TJS |
| Per Month |
Students in Tajikistan typically spend from 13% to 24% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 18% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 1,400 TJS with expenditure ranging from 210 TJS to 9,200 TJS. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities6%
6% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $3.2 35 TJS |
| AVERAGE | $21 230 TJS |
| HIGH | $140 1,500 TJS |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Tajikistan ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 230 TJS with 35 TJS and 1,500 TJS being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $5.6 61 TJS |
| AVERAGE | $37 400 TJS |
| HIGH | $250 2,700 TJS |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 61 TJS to 2,700 TJS in a month on commuting with 400 TJS being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | $16 170 TJS |
| AVERAGE | $110 1,100 TJS |
| HIGH | $700 7,700 TJS |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Tajikistan is 1,100 TJS. The cost of groceries can range between 170 TJS to 7,700 TJS. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $4.8 52 TJS |
| AVERAGE | $32 340 TJS |
| HIGH | $210 2,300 TJS |
| Per Month |
Students in Tajikistan allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 52 TJS to 2,300 TJS with 340 TJS being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping3%
3% of total expenses on average (2% to 7%)
| LOW | $4 44 TJS |
| AVERAGE | $26 290 TJS |
| HIGH | $180 1,900 TJS |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 44 TJS to 1,900 TJS with 290 TJS being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $15 170 TJS |
| AVERAGE | $100 1,100 TJS |
| HIGH | $670 7,300 TJS |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 1,100 TJS per month with 170 TJS being the minimum spent amount and 7,300 TJS being the maximum.
Other Expenses18%
18% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $12 130 TJS |
| AVERAGE | $79 860 TJS |
| HIGH | $530 5,700 TJS |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Tajikistan
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Tajikistan?
Around 58% of surveyed students think that living in Tajikistan is affordable with proper budgeting while 42% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Tajikistan
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options56%
Few low-cost options44%
Based on the survey, 56% of the students living in Tajikistan have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 44% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Tajikistan whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes55%
No45%
Based on the survey, 45% of the students living in Tajikistan said that they don't have an emergency fund while 55% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Tajikistan
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy53%
We asked student guardians and parents in Tajikistan whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 47% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 53% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Tajikistan have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 47% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 53% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance47%
Easily manages finances53%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Tajikistan
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Tajikistan
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 970 TJS | 1,500 TJS | 3,900 TJS |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,500 TJS | 2,300 TJS | 5,800 TJS |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,900 TJS | 2,900 TJS | 7,800 TJS |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,300 TJS | 3,900 TJS | 11,000 TJS |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 4,700 TJS | 12,000 TJS | 23,000 TJS |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 3,900 TJS | 5,800 TJS | 17,000 TJS |
House monthly rent cost
| 4,700 TJS | 12,000 TJS | 23,000 TJS |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 5,800 TJS | 15,000 TJS | 23,000 TJS |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Tajikistan ranges between 970 TJS and 3,900 TJS, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 1,500 TJS to 5,800 TJS. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 1,900 TJS and 7,800 TJS per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 2,300 TJS to 11,000 TJS. The average rent of a townhouse in Tajikistan is around 5,800 TJS while house rental costs can be as high as 12,000 TJS per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 5,800 TJS to 23,000 TJS per month.
Apartment and house prices in Tajikistan
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 190,000 TJS | 290,000 TJS | 580,000 TJS |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 230,000 TJS | 390,000 TJS | 1.5M TJS |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 390,000 TJS | 1.2M TJS | 2.3M TJS |
| $36,000 | $110,000 | $210,000 |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 1.3M TJS | 1.9M TJS | 5.8M TJS |
| $120,000 | $180,000 | $530,000 |
Townhouse price
| 1.7M TJS | 3.9M TJS | 15M TJS |
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Tajikistan can range from 190,000 TJS to 580,000 TJS depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 230,000 TJS to 1.5M TJS. A villa can cost you 13M TJS on average with prices ranging from 2.3M TJS to 19M TJS.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Tajikistan will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 33 | x92 monthly income | 195 |
Property prices in Tajikistan can be x92 to x195 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x92 multiples of the average monthly salary in Tajikistan.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Tajikistan is around 29%. This means that people pay 29% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 19% to 39% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
27% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Tajikistan
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Tajikistan
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 230 TJS. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 58 TJS to 160 TJS with 120 TJS being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 78 TJS but can range between 47 TJS and 230 TJS depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Tajikistan is around 6%. This means that people pay 6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3% to 10% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Tajikistan
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Tajikistan
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Tajikistan is approximatly 23 TJS with meal cost ranging from 12 TJS to 39 TJS. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 39 TJS and 120 TJS with 58 TJS being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Tajikistan.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 78 TJS to 470 TJS with the average cost being 120 TJS for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Tajikistan.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Tajikistan is around 16 TJS. Price ranges between 9.7 TJS and 23 TJS depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Tajikistan is 9.4 TJS. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 12 TJS and the minimum being 7.8 TJS depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 7.8 TJS on average with 5.8 TJS and 12 TJS being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Tajikistan is between 13 TJS and 24 TJS depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 17 TJS.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 23 TJS. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Tajikistan costs around 8.6 TJS on average with prices rangeing between 6.3 TJS and 12 TJS depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 2.3 TJS to 5.8 TJS. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 5.5 TJS on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Tajikistan is around 27%. This means that students spend 27% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 19% to 33% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 170 TJS to 7,700 TJS with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
