Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Dharan

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharan: $56.9 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
17

Cost of Living Index in Dharan
Learn more

Dharan Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Dharan

🇳🇵 Nepal

$56.9

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Dharan

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 Dharan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $56.9 in Dharan, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Dharan $56.9

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $89.7 in Dharan, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Dharan $89.7

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $122 in Dharan, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Dharan $122

Istanbul costs about 2582% more than Dharan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Dharan is 96% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$1.99 NPR 309

496.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$1.64 NPR 254

158.54%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.40 NPR 62.1

337.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.13 NPR 20.65

315.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$0.43 NPR 67.0

120.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$2.58 NPR 399

117.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.14 NPR 177

28.95%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

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

$11.60 ₺572

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$1.90 NPR 294

338.95%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Dharan: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Dharan

$17 * 29.3% 93.5% $247

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Dharan

$38 * 64.3% 82.6% $180

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Dharan

$3.8 * 6.5% 96% $90

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Dharan

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇵 Dharan

🕒 Local time

10:19 10:19 AM

13:04 1:04 PM

2 h 45 min ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

173,096

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NPR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 155 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD). 1 EUR = 174 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.76 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Dharan 5,500 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Dharan

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 Dharan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 2582% more than Dharan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $85.4 in Dharan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,526 in Istanbul and $56.9 in Dharan. That's a gap of about 2582%.

Groceries cost about 1432% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dharan, where all-in costs run around $56.9, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Dharan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $56.9 versus $1,526 in Istanbul. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Dharan. 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.