Which Baku district to live in: metro, rent and your needs
No Baku district suits everyone equally: the choice depends on your budget, your daily route and who you live with. According to the Prayk metro map, all 27 of the city's metro stations are in seven districts, and as of 22 September 2026 the median apartment rent there is 700–900 AZN; in Sabunchu and Surakhani, which have no metro, the median is 550 and 500 AZN. This guide compares districts by metro access, price and needs, and ends with a decision checklist.
Short answer: Baku's 27 metro stations are in Binagadi (5), Narimanov, Nasimi, Nizami, Khatai, Yasamal (4 each) and Sabail (2); Sabunchu, Surakhani, Khazar, Garadagh and Pirallahi have none. As of 22 September 2026 the median apartment rent on Prayk is 900 AZN in Nasimi, Narimanov and Sabail, 800 in Khatai, 785 in Yasamal, 750 in Nizami, 700 in Binagadi, 550 in Sabunchu and 500 AZN in Surakhani. Listings with «tələbə» (student) in the title have a median of 200 AZN.
Metro and rent: all districts in one table
The table combines two sources: station counts from the Prayk metro map and rent medians from apartment listings in the catalogue (titles containing «kirayə» and the district name, AZN prices only). “Middle half” is the price band of the middle 50%.
| District | Metro stations | Median rent, AZN/month | Middle half, AZN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binagadi | 5 | 700 | 600–800 |
| Narimanov | 4 | 900 | 700–1,200 |
| Nasimi | 4 | 900 | 650–1,200 |
| Nizami | 4 | 750 | 550–1,150 |
| Khatai | 4 | 800 | 600–1,200 |
| Yasamal | 4 | 785 | 650–1,000 |
| Sabail | 2 | 900 | 675–1,250 |
| Sabunchu | none | 550 | 300–700 |
| Surakhani | none | 500 | 400–563 |
| Khazar | none | too few (7 listings) | — |
| Garadagh, Pirallahi | none | not measured | — |
Station names and exits by district are on the metro map. Note that a station name does not always match the district: according to the map, Nizami station is in Yasamal district and Nasimi station is in Binagadi. “Nizami m.” in a listing title does not mean the flat is in Nizami district. All monthly rentals in Baku are on the apartments for rent in Baku page.
If budget comes first, which districts to look at?
- Metro and predictable prices — Binagadi. The median is 700 AZN, half of listings sit within just 600–800 AZN, and the district has 5 metro stations — more than any other.
- Nizami's lower band. The median is 750 AZN, but the lower quartile is 550 AZN: one listing in four is cheaper. The district has 4 stations.
- Sabunchu and Surakhani. Medians of 550 and 500 AZN, but no metro. Weigh the monthly saving against commuting time and cost: how many hours a month does the 200 AZN median gap between Binagadi and Surakhani turn into?
- Suburbs. Of the latest 500 apartment rental listings, 27 are in Khirdalan and 11 in Sumgayit — worth adding to the list, but calculate the daily commute.
If you drive, watch one more factor: preparations for paid traffic zones in Baku are under way, but zone boundaries and tariffs have not been announced.
If you commute to work or study by metro
In the seven districts with the metro the median rent is 700–900 AZN. Here the distance to a station matters more than the district name:
- On the metro map, pick a station and open the listings around it; every exit has coordinates and a directions link.
- The “What's nearby” block on a listing page shows the distance in metres to the nearest metro, shop, school and park; in the 10-point location score a metro closer than 800 metres adds a bonus point (how it is calculated).
- When you are out in the city, the Nearby page sorts listings within your chosen radius by distance from you.
If you are moving with a family
For a family, what decides is not a district “rating” but the surroundings of a specific address: distance to school or kindergarten, a park, shops, a clinic. A practical sequence:
- Fix the constant points — your child's school, your workplace.
- Select the area between them on the map and browse the listings.
- If nothing fits, set up a location radar around the point — the radius can be from 100 metres to 2 kilometres, and you get a notification about new listings.
- If you need more space, look at houses for rent in Baku as well as flats.
If you are after a large flat, it is safer to compare your budget with the district's upper quartile (for example, 1,200 AZN in Nasimi and Narimanov, 1,000 AZN in Yasamal) rather than the median, which blends all flat sizes together.
If you are a student
The Apartments section of Prayk has 64 listings with «tələbə» (student) in the title; their median price is 200 AZN, with half at 150–550 AZN. 43 are in Baku, 9 in Ganja and 4 in Sumgayit. 200 AZN is far below the district medians (500–900 AZN), so such a price often refers to a room or a bed rather than a whole flat.
- Confirm in writing whether the price is per person or for the whole flat.
- Agree in advance how utility bills will be split.
- Check the line to your university on the metro map — a flat near a station shortens the daily trip.
- Never send a deposit to anyone before seeing the flat.
Checklist before choosing a district
| Question | Where to check |
|---|---|
| Does my budget fall into the district's “middle half” band? | The table above and the market comparison on the listing page |
| How many metres to the nearest metro? | Metro map, “What's nearby” block on the listing |
| Are a school, kindergarten, shop and park close? | “What's nearby” block |
| How long will the daily commute take? | Directions link on the metro map, a test trip |
| Are utilities included in the price? | Messages with the landlord, the contract |
| Is the landlord really the owner? | Extract from the State Register of Immovable Property |
Frequently asked questions
Which Baku districts have the metro?
According to the Prayk metro map, of the 27 stations 5 are in Binagadi, 4 each in Narimanov, Nasimi, Nizami, Khatai and Yasamal, and 2 in Sabail. Sabunchu, Surakhani, Khazar, Garadagh and Pirallahi districts have no metro stations.
How much cheaper is rent in districts without the metro?
As of 22 September 2026 the median apartment rent on Prayk is 550 AZN in Sabunchu and 500 AZN in Surakhani. In districts with the metro the median ranges from 700 AZN (Binagadi) to 900 AZN (Nasimi, Narimanov, Sabail). Weigh the difference together with commuting time and cost.
What should a family look at when choosing a district?
Not the district name but the surroundings of the specific address: distance to school and kindergarten, a park, shops and the metro. On Prayk, the “What's nearby” block on a listing page shows these distances in metres, and the location radar alerts you to new listings around a chosen point.
How much does rent cost for a student?
The 64 listings in Prayk's Apartments section with «tələbə» in the title have a median of 200 AZN, with half at 150–550 AZN. That level often means a room or a bed; for a whole flat, use the district medians (500–900 AZN).
Is Nasimi metro station in Nasimi district?
No. According to the Prayk metro map, Nasimi station is in Binagadi district and Nizami station is in Yasamal district. Do not confuse the metro name in a listing title with the district name.
Sources and methodology
Metro station counts by district come from the Prayk metro map (22 September 2026). Rent figures come from Prayk's public catalogue API on 22 September 2026: a title search for «kirayə» plus the district name in “Real estate → Apartments”, using the most recent listings per query (up to 500), with the median and 25th–75th percentiles from AZN prices only. For student listings we searched the same section for «tələbə» in the title. The figures are approximate: listings without the district name in the title are missed, the same name can mean a district, a street or a station, and rooms or daily rentals can mix into the lower band; we do not publish a median for fewer than 15 listings. We do not rate districts as “good” or “bad” — we only compare measurable indicators.