Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and El Bayadh

For one person, living is cheaper in El Bayadh: $526 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
El Bayadh
🇩🇿 Algeria
$526
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in El Bayadh

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $526 in El Bayadh.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • El Bayadh $526

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $854 in El Bayadh.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • El Bayadh $854

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $1,182 in El Bayadh.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • El Bayadh $1,182

Living in Istanbul is roughly 194% more expensive than in El Bayadh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 15% above, El Bayadh is 61% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$3.57 DZD 479
244.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$19.40 DZD 2,597
181.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$3.63 DZD 486
153.99%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$0.69 DZD 92.9
537.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$0.67 DZD 89.9
150.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$0.25 DZD 34.01
136.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$1.32 DZD 177
256.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$1.89 DZD 253
212.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$0.80 DZD 108
51.25%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$0.13 DZD 17.22
584.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.12 DZD 150
95.54%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$1.18 DZD 158
99.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$7.79 DZD 1,043
33.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$3.90 DZD 522
44.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$14.54 DZD 1,947
44.02%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$2.01 DZD 269
-5.47%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$2.83 DZD 378
-18.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.11 DZD 148
15.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$0.89 DZD 119
102.25%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$0.58 DZD 78.1
12.07%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$0.42 DZD 56.0
52.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$0.66 DZD 88.2
89.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.27 DZD 36.08
107.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$2.69 DZD 360
-11.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$6.66 DZD 891
101.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.28 DZD 172
87.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.69 DZD 227
105.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$0.21 DZD 27.93
323.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$5.82 DZD 779
1058.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$0.55 DZD 73.1
134.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$0.38 DZD 51.4
142.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$5.35 DZD 716
104.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$0.35 DZD 47.05
320.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$31.7K DZD 4.2M
60.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$34.7K DZD 4.6M
28.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$37.51 DZD 5,022
136.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$9.77 DZD 1,308
18.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$14.11 DZD 1,889
12.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$24.98 DZD 3,345
208.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$4.24 DZD 568
91.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$292 DZD 39.1K
245.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$4,526 DZD 605.9K
464.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$29.26 DZD 3,918
84.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$32.99 DZD 4,417
23.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$65.7 DZD 8,800
50.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$70.7 DZD 9,470
36.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$126 DZD 16.9K
678.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$98.5 DZD 13.2K
559.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$272 DZD 36.5K
628.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$199 DZD 26.6K
492.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$981 DZD 131.3K
219.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$1,026 DZD 137.3K
73.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
El Bayadh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
5.3
672.08%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for El Bayadh: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
El Bayadh
$98 84.8% $551
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
El Bayadh
$172 33.6% $87
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
El Bayadh
$62 72.3% $161
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
El Bayadh
$89 31.5% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
El Bayadh
$61 47.1% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
El Bayadh
$33 64.2% $60
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
El Bayadh
$9.1 88.1% $68

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $126 in El Bayadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $19.00 in El Bayadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $172 per month, with El Bayadh cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇩🇿 El Bayadh
🕒 Local time
18:15 6:15 PM
16:15 4:15 PM
2 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
91,632
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul El Bayadh 2,590 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • El Bayadh

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 El Bayadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Istanbul or El Bayadh?
El Bayadh wins on cost – living expenses run 194% lower than in Istanbul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making El Bayadh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Istanbul and in El Bayadh?
You'd need roughly $2,325 in Istanbul and $789 in El Bayadh 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Istanbul compared to El Bayadh?
Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $126 in El Bayadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Istanbul and in El Bayadh?
Dining out is cheaper in El Bayadh – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $55.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Istanbul compared to El Bayadh?
All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $526 in El Bayadh – a 194% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Istanbul or in El Bayadh?
At $526 in El Bayadh versus $1,550 in Istanbul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in El Bayadh but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes El Bayadh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Istanbul or El Bayadh?
Both work as nomad bases, but El Bayadh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $526 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes El Bayadh hard to pass up.
How safe is Istanbul compared to El Bayadh?
Safety-wise, Istanbul and El Bayadh are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find El Bayadh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 194% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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