Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Herat

For one person, living is cheaper in Herat: $390 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Herat

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$390

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Herat

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $390 in Herat, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Herat $390

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $467 in Herat, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Herat $467

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $544 in Herat, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Herat $544

Istanbul costs about 298% more than Herat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Herat is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$9.11 ؋591

500.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$3.81 ؋247

141.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ؋101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 ؋485

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$0.80 ؋51.9

450.00%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.47 ؋30.48

257.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.59 ؋38.29

105.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.80 ؋117

30.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$5.97 ؋387

250.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$0.60 ؋39.20

216.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$0.75 ؋48.69

208.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.64 ؋41.37

181.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.30 ؋19.23

116.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.30 ؋19.17

113.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.30 ؋19.25

86.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ؋28.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$3.13 ؋203

-24.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

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

$305 ؋19.8K

-70.95%

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

$15.17 ؋983

408.64%

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

104.60%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Herat: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Herat

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Herat

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Herat

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Herat

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Herat

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Herat

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Herat

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $9.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $47.00 – making Herat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇦🇫 Herat

🕒 Local time

19:48 7:48 PM

21:18 9:18 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

349,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.37 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.88 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

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Istanbul Herat 3,000 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Herat

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 Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 298%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $585 in Herat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 455% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $9.00 in Herat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Herat, where all-in costs run around $390, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Herat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Herat – 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 Herat. 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.