Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ghubra and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $90.0 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$90.0

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Ghubra and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al Ghubra and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $90.0 in Al Ghubra versus $1,550 in Istanbul.

Al Ghubra $90.0
Istanbul $1,550

Estimated couple costs with rent: $159 in Al Ghubra versus $2,415 in Istanbul.

Al Ghubra $159
Istanbul $2,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $229 in Al Ghubra versus $3,281 in Istanbul.

Al Ghubra $229
Istanbul $3,281

Living in Al Ghubra costs roughly 94% less than in Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Ghubra is 93% below, Istanbul is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₺83.1

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.59 ₺29.40

-57.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 OMR 0.99

$1.21 ₺60.0

111.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$50.8K ₺2.5M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$44.5K ₺2.2M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$88.6 ₺4,387

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.59 ₺574

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.01 OMR 17.33

$77.2 ₺3,820

-41.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.68 OMR 14.12

$22.74 ₺1,126

61.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 OMR 3.53

$8.14 ₺403

12.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$180 OMR 69.5

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-82.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,110 OMR 1,197

$1,205 ₺59.7K

157.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Al Ghubra

–

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Groceries & Markets

Al Ghubra

–

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Eating Out

Al Ghubra

–

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Al Ghubra

–

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Ghubra

–

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Al Ghubra

–

Istanbul

$93 6%

Getting Around

Al Ghubra

–

Istanbul

$77 5%

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 158% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Al Ghubra

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

13:15 1:15 PM

12:15 12:15 PM

1 h behind Al Ghubra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

797,000

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to OMR – Omani Rial Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇴🇲 Omani Rial (ر.ع.)

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to OMR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Al Ghubra Istanbul 3,350 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Al Ghubra
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Al Ghubra vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Ghubra and Istanbul differ by about 1623% in total monthly costs ($90.0 vs $1,550 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 158% higher in Al Ghubra, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $180 in Al Ghubra versus $1,008 in Istanbul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $90.0 per month in Al Ghubra versus $1,550 in Istanbul – a 1623% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $90.0 in Al Ghubra versus $1,550 in Istanbul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Al Ghubra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al Ghubra and Istanbul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1623% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.