Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Hammamet

For one person, living is cheaper in Hammamet: $765 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Hammamet
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$765
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Hammamet

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $765 in Hammamet, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Hammamet $765

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,156 in Hammamet, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Hammamet $1,156

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,547 in Hammamet, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Hammamet $1,547

Istanbul costs about 103% more than Hammamet, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Hammamet is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$3.40 TND 10.19
261.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$20.02 TND 60.0
173.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$4.05 TND 12.12
127.65%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$0.73 TND 2.19
502.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$0.64 TND 1.90
162.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$0.27 TND 0.82
118.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$1.62 TND 4.85
190.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$2.01 TND 6.02
194.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$0.49 TND 1.47
146.94%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$0.26 TND 0.77
242.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.36 TND 4.08
61.03%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$1.52 TND 4.56
54.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$16.85 TND 50.5
-38.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$5.06 TND 15.15
11.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$14.09 TND 42.20
48.62%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$3.25 TND 9.74
-41.54%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$3.54 TND 10.60
-34.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.44 TND 4.31
-11.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$0.68 TND 2.03
164.71%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$0.64 TND 1.92
1.56%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$0.76 TND 2.28
-15.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$0.51 TND 1.54
145.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.34 TND 1.03
64.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$3.61 TND 10.80
-34.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$7.40 TND 22.17
81.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.12 TND 3.36
114.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.05 TND 3.14
231.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$0.34 TND 1.03
161.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$10.12 TND 30.31
566.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$0.29 TND 0.86
344.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$0.32 TND 0.95
187.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$7.50 TND 22.45
46.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$0.86 TND 2.59
70.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$36.9K TND 110.5K
37.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$35.1K TND 105.0K
27.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$44.96 TND 135
97.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$7.40 TND 22.17
56.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$20.21 TND 60.5
-21.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$26.31 TND 78.8
193.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$10.50 TND 31.43
116.57%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$4.53 TND 13.56
79.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$98.1 TND 294
927.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$2,414 TND 7,231
958.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$38.32 TND 115
40.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$36.45 TND 109
12.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$78.0 TND 234
26.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$38.65 TND 116
149.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$385 TND 1,153
155.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$277 TND 831
134.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$535 TND 1,602
270.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$429 TND 1,285
175.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$784 TND 2,349
300.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$363 TND 1,087
390.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Hammamet
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$364 TND 1,091
230.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
10.33
296.13%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Hammamet: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Hammamet
$277 57.3% $372
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Hammamet
$216 16.9% $44
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Hammamet
$64 71.4% $159
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Hammamet
$86 34% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Hammamet
$73 37.5% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Hammamet
$35 62.1% $58
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Hammamet
$13 82.6% $64

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $385 in Hammamet. 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 231% 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 $20.00 in Hammamet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $216 – making Hammamet the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇹🇳 Hammamet
🕒 Local time
10:50 10:50 AM
08:50 8:50 AM
2 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
106,326
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Hammamet 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Hammamet

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 Hammamet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hammamet cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 103%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,147 in Hammamet. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hammamet, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Istanbul and in Hammamet?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,550 in Istanbul and $765 in Hammamet. That's a gap of about 103%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 566% less in Hammamet. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Hammamet?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hammamet, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Hammamet it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Hammamet more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Hammamet – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Hammamet?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Hammamet. 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.

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