Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Gardez

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Gardez

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$17.01 ؋1,102

223.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

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

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

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

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

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 Gardez: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Gardez

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Gardez

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Gardez

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Gardez

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Gardez

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Gardez

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Gardez

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $17.00 in Gardez for two.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇦🇫 Gardez

🕒 Local time

13:22 1:22 PM

14:52 2:52 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

70,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, 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 = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 64.76 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.57 AFN (100 AFN = 1.38 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Gardez 3,620 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Gardez

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 Gardez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Gardez 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 Gardez are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Gardez wins on affordability, Istanbul on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.