Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gilgit and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Gilgit: $447 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

22

Cost of Living Index in Gilgit
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Gilgit Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Gilgit

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$447

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $447 per month in Gilgit vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gilgit $447
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $670 per month in Gilgit vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gilgit $670
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $894 per month in Gilgit vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Gilgit $894
Istanbul $3,212

Gilgit is about 71% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Gilgit sits 67% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.49 PKR 411

$11.81 ₺591

-87.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.71 PKR 2,962

$54.9 ₺2,748

-80.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 PKR 1,473

$9.26 ₺463

-42.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 PKR 690

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 PKR 1,407

Cappuccino

$1.59 PKR 441

$4.30 ₺215

-63.02%

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

$0.32 PKR 88.2

$1.77 ₺88.8

-81.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 62.7

$0.56 ₺28.26

-58.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺234

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺356

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 223

$1.25 ₺62.6

-35.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 PKR 172

$0.88 ₺44.07

-29.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 312

$2.20 ₺110

-48.64%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 317

$2.43 ₺122

-52.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.63 PKR 1,557

$10.48 ₺524

-46.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.46 PKR 681

$5.31 ₺266

-53.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.84 PKR 1,339

$21.10 ₺1,056

-77.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 309

$1.86 ₺92.9

-39.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$2.30 ₺115

-74.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 PKR 216

$1.22 ₺60.8

-36.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 143

$1.80 ₺90.0

-71.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 77.3

$0.69 ₺34.75

-59.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$0.64 ₺32.09

-40.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 PKR 119

$1.36 ₺67.8

-68.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.58 ₺28.88

-34.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.89 PKR 522

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 PKR 303

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PKR 674

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 545

$2.34 ₺117

-15.81%

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)

$0.16 PKR 43.69

$0.88 ₺43.97

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.05 PKR 2,781

$66.1 ₺3,309

-84.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 PKR 295

$1.28 ₺64.3

-16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 PKR 196

$0.85 ₺42.70

-16.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 PKR 448

$11.09 ₺555

-85.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 PKR 325

$1.48 ₺73.9

-20.95%

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

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

$48.6K ₺2.4M

-54.82%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

$42.0K ₺2.1M

-44.66%

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

$101 PKR 27.8K

$92.7 ₺4,639

8.47%

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

$5.66 PKR 1,567

$11.20 ₺560

-49.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.23 PKR 3,936

$15.89 ₺795

-10.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.85 PKR 4,107

$74.7 ₺3,737

-80.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.85 PKR 2,173

$22.95 ₺1,149

-65.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,176

$8.05 ₺403

-47.20%

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

$42.28 PKR 11.7K

$948 ₺47.5K

-95.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,047 PKR 289.7K

$36.9K ₺1.8M

-97.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.72 PKR 4,625

$53.9 ₺2,696

-68.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.58 PKR 6,246

$41.49 ₺2,076

-45.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 PKR 18.7K

$101 ₺5,049

-33.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.35 PKR 8,948

$91.3 ₺4,570

-64.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 PKR 37.2K

$1,014 ₺50.7K

-86.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.0 PKR 23.8K

$625 ₺31.3K

-86.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 PKR 75.2K

$2,005 ₺100.4K

-86.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 PKR 49.2K

$1,126 ₺56.3K

-84.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 PKR 224.2K

$2,988 ₺149.5K

-72.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$499 PKR 138.0K

$1,730 ₺86.6K

-71.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺56.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

-67.84%

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

Last update for Gilgit: November 1, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gilgit

$120 27%

Istanbul

$120 7.9% 0.6% $0.7

Groceries & Markets

Gilgit

$90 20.1%

Istanbul

$258 17% 188% $169

Accommodation & Living

Gilgit

$86 19.3%

Istanbul

$625 41.1% 626% $539

Clothing & Footwear

Gilgit

$63 14%

Istanbul

$129 8.5% 107% $67

Eating Out

Gilgit

$49 11%

Istanbul

$221 14.6% 349% $172

Sport & Entertainment

Gilgit

$23 5.2%

Istanbul

$91 6% 289% $67

Getting Around

Gilgit

$15 3.4%

Istanbul

$75 5% 392% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $134 in Gilgit versus $1,014 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Gilgit versus $55 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $90 vs $258 – making Gilgit the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Gilgit

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

23:36 11:36 PM

21:36 9:36 PM

2 h behind Gilgit

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

216,760

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 50.04 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.23 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Gilgit Istanbul 3,940 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Gilgit
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

Gilgit vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 240% more than Gilgit, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $670 per month in Gilgit and $2,278 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gilgit, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $134 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Groceries cost about 188% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Gilgit and $55 in Istanbul. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Gilgit, where all-in costs run around $447, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Gilgit it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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

For expats, Gilgit is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 71% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.