Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kairouan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kairouan: $634 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Kairouan
Learn more

Kairouan Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Kairouan

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kairouan

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $634 in Kairouan, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Kairouan $634

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $975 in Kairouan, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Kairouan $975

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,316 in Kairouan, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Kairouan $1,316

Istanbul costs about 145% more than Kairouan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Kairouan is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$2.66 TND 7.96

362.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$15.64 TND 46.83

249.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$6.17 TND 18.49

49.43%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$0.96 TND 2.87

358.33%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.80 TND 2.39

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.40 TND 1.20

47.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$1.71 TND 5.11

174.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$2.64 TND 7.92

123.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.45 TND 1.36

168.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.07 TND 0.22

1171.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.75 TND 5.25

25.14%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.49 TND 4.45

57.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$10.01 TND 29.97

4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$5.42 TND 16.22

4.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$11.92 TND 35.70

75.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.19 TND 6.57

-13.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.28 TND 6.82

1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.13 TND 3.38

13.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.77 TND 2.30

133.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.65 TND 1.94

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.62 TND 1.86

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.53 TND 1.57

135.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.26 TND 0.78

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$3.34 TND 10.00

-29.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$6.85 TND 20.52

95.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.28 TND 3.84

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.55 TND 4.63

124.52%

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

$9.94 TND 29.77

578.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.29 TND 0.86

344.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.34 TND 1.00

170.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$1.76 TND 5.27

522.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$0.80 TND 2.39

83.75%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$39.1K TND 117.1K

29.90%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$36.1K TND 108.3K

23.19%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$60.0 TND 180

47.76%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$9.27 TND 27.77

25.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$20.01 TND 59.9

-20.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$23.03 TND 69.0

235.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$12.53 TND 37.53

81.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$4.59 TND 13.75

77.34%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$106 TND 317

852.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$3,221 TND 9,647

693.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$23.58 TND 70.6

128.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$61.1 TND 183

-33.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$46.83 TND 140

111.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$87.5 TND 262

10.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$116 TND 347

750.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$155 TND 463

319.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$372 TND 1,115

432.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$271 TND 812

335.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$953 TND 2,855

229.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$609 TND 1,825

192.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$320 TND 959

276.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

10.28

298.05%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kairouan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Kairouan

$155 24.4% 76.2% $495

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Kairouan

$176 27.7% 32.3% $84

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Kairouan

$70 11% 68.7% $153

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Kairouan

$99 15.6% 24.5% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Kairouan

$89 14.1% 23.1% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Kairouan

$32 5.1% 65.5% $61

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Kairouan

$13 2.1% 82.9% $64

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $116 in Kairouan. 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 276% 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 $16.00 in Kairouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $176 – making Kairouan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇳 Kairouan

🕒 Local time

04:42 4:42 AM

02:42 2:42 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

139,070

💱 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 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).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Kairouan 1,750 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Kairouan

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 Kairouan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 145%, 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 $950 in Kairouan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kairouan, 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 $106 in Kairouan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kairouan, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Kairouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kairouan – 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 Kairouan. 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.