Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Gafsa

For one person, living is cheaper in Gafsa: $586 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
28

Cost of Living Index in Gafsa
Learn more

Gafsa Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Gafsa

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$586

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Gafsa

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $586 in Gafsa, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Gafsa $586

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $903 in Gafsa, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Gafsa $903

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,220 in Gafsa, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Gafsa $1,220

Istanbul costs about 165% more than Gafsa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Gafsa is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$3.96 TND 11.86

210.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$9.87 TND 29.56

454.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$2.47 TND 7.40

273.28%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$0.58 TND 1.74

658.62%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.52 TND 1.55

223.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.24 TND 0.71

145.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$1.72 TND 5.15

173.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$1.68 TND 5.05

251.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.46 TND 1.39

163.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.13 TND 0.39

584.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.67 TND 5.02

31.14%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.04 TND 3.13

125.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$12.88 TND 38.59

-19.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$5.98 TND 17.90

-5.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$11.60 TND 34.75

80.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.39 TND 4.15

36.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$3.02 TND 9.05

-23.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.83 TND 2.48

54.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.93 TND 2.78

93.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.71 TND 2.12

-8.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.47 TND 1.40

36.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.45 TND 1.35

177.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.27 TND 0.81

107.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$2.52 TND 7.54

-5.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$5.16 TND 15.47

160.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.22 TND 3.66

96.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.35 TND 4.05

157.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.32 TND 0.95

178.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$10.92 TND 32.70

517.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.29 TND 0.86

344.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.25 TND 0.75

268.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$4.13 TND 12.37

165.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$0.87 TND 2.61

68.97%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$38.2K TND 114.5K

32.86%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$31.4K TND 93.9K

42.02%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$39.47 TND 118

124.50%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$8.41 TND 25.20

37.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$19.27 TND 57.7

-17.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$15.29 TND 45.80

404.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$12.41 TND 37.16

83.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$3.43 TND 10.27

137.32%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$59.1 TND 177

1606.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$1,023 TND 3,065

2397.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$39.72 TND 119

35.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$52.5 TND 157

-22.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$104 TND 313

-5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$113 TND 340

-14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$141 TND 422

598.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$102 TND 304

539.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$205 TND 615

865.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$153 TND 458

671.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$969 TND 2,904

223.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$358 TND 1,073

396.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$305 TND 913

295.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

8.88

360.81%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Gafsa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Gafsa

$102 17.3% 84.4% $548

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Gafsa

$180 30.8% 30.5% $79

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Gafsa

$61 10.4% 72.7% $162

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Gafsa

$140 23.8% 6.8% $8.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Gafsa

$67 11.5% 42.1% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Gafsa

$22 3.8% 76.3% $71

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Gafsa

$14 2.3% 82.1% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $141 in Gafsa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 295% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $10.00 in Gafsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $180 – making Gafsa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇳 Gafsa

🕒 Local time

01:46 1:46 AM

23:46 11:46 PM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

111,170

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Tunisian Dinar TND د.ت

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 TND = 0.334 USD

1 TND = 0.297 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, 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 = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Gafsa 1,920 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Gafsa

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 Gafsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 165%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $878 in Gafsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gafsa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $59.1 in Gafsa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gafsa, where all-in costs run around $586, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Gafsa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gafsa – 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 Gafsa. 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.