Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Duqm

For one person, living is cheaper in Duqm: $310 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Duqm

🇴🇲 Oman

$310

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Duqm

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $310 in Duqm.

Istanbul $1,550
Duqm $310

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $510 in Duqm.

Istanbul $2,415
Duqm $510

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $710 in Duqm.

Istanbul $3,281
Duqm $710

Living in Istanbul is roughly 399% more expensive than in Duqm, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 15% above, Duqm is 77% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$5.01 OMR 1.93

145.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$13.12 OMR 5.05

316.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$2.41 OMR 0.93

82.57%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.51 OMR 0.20

229.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.34 OMR 0.13

73.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$7.98 OMR 3.07

-41.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$13.09 OMR 5.04

-54.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.68 OMR 1.03

-18.28%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$2.82 OMR 1.09

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$5.18 OMR 1.99

9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.42 OMR 1.32

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.80 OMR 0.31

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.18 OMR 0.07

211.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$13.04 OMR 5.02

-73.31%

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)

$88.6 ₺4,387

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

$11.59 ₺574

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$77.2 OMR 29.74

-0.10%

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

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Duqm: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Duqm

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Duqm

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Duqm

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Duqm

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Duqm

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Duqm

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Duqm

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $13.00 in Duqm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $95.0 per month, with Duqm cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇴🇲 Duqm

🕒 Local time

20:02 8:02 PM

21:02 9:02 PM

1 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

12,000

💱 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 17, 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Duqm 3,610 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Duqm

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 Duqm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duqm is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 399% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,325 in Istanbul and $466 in Duqm to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 174% higher in Istanbul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Duqm – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $55.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $310 in Duqm versus $1,550 in Istanbul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Duqm but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Duqm the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Duqm is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Istanbul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Duqm 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 Duqm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 399% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.