Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gan and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Gan: $43.76 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Gan

🇲🇻 Maldives

$43.76

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $44 per month in Gan vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gan $44
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $71 per month in Gan vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gan $71
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $98 per month in Gan vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gan $98
Istanbul $3,212

Gan is about 97% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Gan sits 97% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 MVR 84.3

$11.81 ₺591

-53.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺463

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺215

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

$1.77 ₺88.8

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺234

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺356

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.6

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.07

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺110

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺524

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺266

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,056

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺92.9

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺60.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.0

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.75

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺67.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺652

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺43.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,309

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺555

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺73.9

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

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

$92.7 ₺4,639

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

$11.20 ₺560

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺795

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,737

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,149

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺403

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

$948 ₺47.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,696

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,076

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,049

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,570

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$555 MVR 8,551

$1,730 ₺86.6K

-67.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺56.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

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

Last update for Gan: October 31, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gan

–

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Groceries & Markets

Gan

–

Istanbul

$258 17%

Eating Out

Gan

–

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Gan

–

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gan

–

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Gan

–

Istanbul

$91 6%

Getting Around

Gan

–

Istanbul

$75 5%

Good to know

🇲🇻 Gan

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

04:30 4:30 AM

02:30 2:30 AM

2 h behind Gan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.78 EUR

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MVR – Maldivian Rufiyaa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇻 Maldivian Rufiyaa (Rf)

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.31 MVR (100 MVR = 5.78 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 50.04 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.18 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to MVR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Gan Istanbul 6,230 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Gan
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

Gan vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 3371%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $66 per month in Gan and $2,278 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gan, where all-in costs run around $44, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Gan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.