Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gabes and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Gabes: $518 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Gabes
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Gabes Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Gabes

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$518

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gabes 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 Gabes and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $518 per month in Gabes vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gabes $518
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $827 per month in Gabes vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gabes $827
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,136 per month in Gabes vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gabes $1,136
Istanbul $3,281

Gabes is about 67% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Gabes sits 62% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 TND 8.08

$12.30 ₺609

-78.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.86 TND 50.5

$54.7 ₺2,708

-69.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 TND 10.29

$9.22 ₺456

-62.69%

Cappuccino

$0.78 TND 2.34

$4.40 ₺218

-82.27%

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

$0.64 TND 1.93

$1.68 ₺83.1

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.75

$0.59 ₺29.40

-57.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 TND 3.46

$4.70 ₺233

-75.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 TND 4.59

$5.91 ₺292

-74.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.43 TND 1.30

$1.21 ₺60.0

-64.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 TND 0.75

$0.89 ₺44.10

-71.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 TND 5.26

$2.19 ₺108

-19.63%

Eggs

$1.48 TND 4.44

$2.35 ₺116

-37.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 TND 36.63

$10.42 ₺516

17.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 TND 16.76

$5.65 ₺280

-0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 TND 44.39

$20.94 ₺1,037

-29.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 TND 4.83

$1.90 ₺94.1

-15.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 TND 8.75

$2.31 ₺114

26.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 TND 2.75

$1.28 ₺63.1

-28.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 TND 2.60

$1.80 ₺89.0

-51.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 TND 2.84

$0.65 ₺32.16

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 TND 1.70

$0.64 ₺31.91

-10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 TND 1.02

$1.25 ₺62.1

-72.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.86

$0.56 ₺27.58

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 TND 9.92

$2.37 ₺118

39.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.42 TND 10.23

$13.42 ₺664

-74.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 TND 2.01

$2.40 ₺119

-72.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TND 2.45

$3.48 ₺172

-76.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TND 0.56

$0.89 ₺43.84

-78.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.85 TND 20.53

$67.4 ₺3,338

-89.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.94

$1.29 ₺64.1

-75.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 TND 0.53

$0.92 ₺45.70

-80.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 TND 11.73

$10.96 ₺542

-64.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 TND 2.61

$1.47 ₺72.9

-40.82%

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

$38.9K TND 116.4K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-23.46%

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

$28.0K TND 83.8K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-37.15%

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

$42.91 TND 129

$88.6 ₺4,387

-51.57%

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

$7.75 TND 23.20

$11.59 ₺574

-33.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.73 TND 50.1

$15.81 ₺783

5.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.56 TND 94.5

$77.2 ₺3,820

-59.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.61 TND 13.81

$22.74 ₺1,126

-79.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 TND 9.93

$8.14 ₺403

-59.34%

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

$56.0 TND 168

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-94.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,951 TND 5,843

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-92.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.42 TND 97.1

$54.0 ₺2,671

-39.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.92 TND 120

$40.83 ₺2,021

-2.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 TND 227

$98.9 ₺4,895

-23.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.2 TND 198

$96.6 ₺4,783

-31.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 TND 344

$985 ₺48.7K

-88.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.2 TND 210

$650 ₺32.2K

-89.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 TND 611

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-89.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 TND 348

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-90.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$945 TND 2,832

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-69.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$620 TND 1,856

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-65.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$418 TND 1,251

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-65.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

-70.67%

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

Last update for Gabes: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Gabes

$183 35.4%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 41.7% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Gabes

$97 18.6%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 35.3% $34

Accommodation & Living

Gabes

$70 13.6%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 825% $580

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gabes

$67 13%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 72.2% $49

Eating Out

Gabes

$54 10.4%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 316% $170

Sport & Entertainment

Gabes

$38 7.4%

Istanbul

$93 6% 145% $55

Getting Around

Gabes

$8.8 1.7%

Istanbul

$77 5% 774% $68

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $115 in Gabes versus $985 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 189% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Gabes versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $260 – making Gabes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇳 Gabes

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

22:45 10:45 PM

00:45 12:45 AM

2 h ahead of Gabes

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

130,984

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Tunisian Dinar TND د.ت

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 TND = 0.334 USD

1 TND = 0.297 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇳 Tunisian Dinar (د.ت)

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to TND in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Gabes Istanbul 1,840 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Gabes
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

Gabes vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 199%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $777 per month in Gabes and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gabes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $56.0 per month in Gabes and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gabes, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Gabes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gabes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gabes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.