Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Al Ghubra

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $89.8 a month against $1,525 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$89.8

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,525 in Istanbul versus $89.8 in Al Ghubra.

Istanbul $1,525
Al Ghubra $89.8

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,390 in Istanbul versus $160 in Al Ghubra.

Istanbul $2,390
Al Ghubra $160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,256 in Istanbul versus $229 in Al Ghubra.

Istanbul $3,256
Al Ghubra $229

Living in Istanbul is roughly 1597% more expensive than in Al Ghubra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 13% above, Al Ghubra is 93% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

$0.25 OMR 0.10

124.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

$2.65 OMR 1.02

-53.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

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

$11.69 ₺579

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

$43.75 OMR 16.84

74.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

$36.90 OMR 14.21

-38.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

$9.29 OMR 3.58

-11.09%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

$186 OMR 71.5

446.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

$3,133 OMR 1,206

-61.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Al Ghubra

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Al Ghubra

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Al Ghubra

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Al Ghubra

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Al Ghubra

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Al Ghubra

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Al Ghubra

–

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

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇴🇲 Al Ghubra

🕒 Local time

15:28 3:28 PM

16:28 4:28 PM

1 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

797,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

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).

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).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Istanbul
Al Ghubra

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

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

Istanbul and Al Ghubra differ by about 1597% in total monthly costs ($1,525 vs $89.8 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 158% lower in Al Ghubra. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $1,015 in Istanbul versus $186 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,525 per month in Istanbul versus $89.8 in Al Ghubra – a 1597% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $89.8 in Al Ghubra versus $1,525 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, Istanbul and Al Ghubra 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 1597% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.