Compared to many Russian cities and several of its Middle Eastern neighbors, Azerbaijan has a high cost of living. Yet, the cost of living here is still lower than in many other nations with comparable educational standards, such as Italy and Israel. With the size of the oil and technology sectors, poverty is not common in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani Manat is the national currency of Azerbaijan (AZN). Take US Dollars or Euros with you and exchange them when you get to Azerbaijan because it can be challenging to find the Manat abroad.
These prices will reflect Baku since the majority of students reside there and attend school there. Here are some typical daily expenses (in AZN and USD):
- Rent for a one-bedroom apartment is 600AZN ($350) per month.
- Utilities: 75AZN ($45) per month on average.
- A monthly transit pass costs 20AZN ($11).
- A meal at a budget restaurant costs 10 AZN ($6).
- Coffee costs $4.25 AZN.
- 1 liter of milk costs 1.80AZN ($1.05).
- 1 kg of vegetables: 2AZN ($1.15)
- Dozen eggs: 2.10AZN ($1.25)
- 0.85AZN ($0.50) for bottled water (1.5 liters)
- 1kg of beef costs 12.35AZN ($7.25)
- Bottle of vodka: 4AZN ($2.35)
- 0.50 AZN ($0.30) for a loaf of bread
It’s not safe to drink the tap water in Azerbaijan, so you’ll need to account for that in your budget. Baku’s water is cleaner than other cities’, yet it is still unfit for consumption.
Azerbaijan’s average monthly cost of living, without rent, is 745AZN ($440). Often, rent is treated as a separate expense.
Although Azerbaijan is less expensive than many other places to study abroad, it is nevertheless more expensive than its neighbor Georgia.
For overseas students, housing is typically supplied in the form of dorms set up by your school or by landlords who have been screened and approved by your institution. Once you have been accepted into a program, your school will help you find a place to reside. Unless you speak great Azerbaijani or Russian, it will be exceedingly difficult to look for a private rental.
Although it is more constrained outside of Baku, healthcare in Azerbaijan is generally of a high grade. It is, however, restricted to Azeri nationals and long-term residents. You must have health insurance if you’re an international student. For this reason, you must present proof of insurance when applying for a visa or permission.
Both swipe and chip-and-pin bank cards are commonly accepted in Baku. You must need cash to make purchases in small shops and convenience stores, though. The use of bank cards is not very common outside of Baku. As there aren’t many ATMs outside of Baku, you should make sure to bring all the cash you’ll need with you if you do decide to leave the capital.