Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Herat and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Herat: $390 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Herat

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$390

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $390 per month in Herat vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Herat $390
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $467 per month in Herat vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Herat $467
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $544 per month in Herat vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Herat $544
Istanbul $3,281

Herat is about 75% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Herat sits 71% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.11 ؋591

$54.7 ₺2,708

-83.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.81 ؋247

$9.22 ₺456

-58.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ؋101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 ؋485

Cappuccino

$0.80 ؋51.9

$4.40 ₺218

-81.82%

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

$0.47 ؋30.48

$1.68 ₺83.1

-72.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ؋38.29

$1.21 ₺60.0

-51.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

Eggs

$1.80 ؋117

$2.35 ₺116

-23.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.97 ؋387

$20.94 ₺1,037

-71.49%

Apples (1kg)

$0.60 ؋39.20

$1.90 ₺94.1

-68.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ؋48.69

$2.31 ₺114

-67.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ؋41.37

$1.80 ₺89.0

-64.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ؋19.23

$0.65 ₺32.16

-53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.30 ؋19.17

$0.64 ₺31.91

-53.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ؋19.25

$0.56 ₺27.58

-46.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ؋28.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ؋203

$2.37 ₺118

32.07%

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)

$305 ؋19.8K

$88.6 ₺4,387

244.18%

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

$11.59 ₺574

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.17 ؋983

$77.2 ₺3,820

-80.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

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)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

-51.12%

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

Last update for Herat: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Herat

–

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Groceries & Markets

Herat

–

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Eating Out

Herat

–

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Herat

–

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Herat

–

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Herat

–

Istanbul

$93 6%

Getting Around

Herat

–

Istanbul

$77 5%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Herat versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $47.00 vs $260 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇫 Herat

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

20:28 8:28 PM

18:58 6:58 PM

1 h 30 min behind Herat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

349,000

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.37 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to AFN – Afghanistan Afghani Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇫 Afghanistan Afghani (؋)

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.88 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to AFN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Herat Istanbul 3,000 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Herat
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

Herat vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 298%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $585 per month in Herat and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 455% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Herat and $55.0 in Istanbul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Herat, where all-in costs run around $390, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Herat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Herat – 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 Herat. 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.