Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kelibia

For one person, living is cheaper in Kelibia: $641 a month against $1,525 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Kelibia
Learn more

Kelibia Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Kelibia

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kelibia

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $641 in Kelibia, rent included.

Istanbul $1,525
Kelibia $641

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $1,004 in Kelibia, rent included.

Istanbul $2,390
Kelibia $1,004

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $1,367 in Kelibia, rent included.

Istanbul $3,256
Kelibia $1,367

Istanbul costs about 138% more than Kelibia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 13% above the global median, while Kelibia is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

$2.72 TND 8.14

339.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

$13.16 TND 39.40

334.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

$3.42 TND 10.23

178.07%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$0.61 TND 1.82

621.31%

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

$0.51 TND 1.53

243.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

$0.27 TND 0.81

107.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

$1.66 TND 4.96

183.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

$1.67 TND 4.99

267.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

$0.42 TND 1.25

195.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

$0.16 TND 0.48

493.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

$1.76 TND 5.27

29.55%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

$1.45 TND 4.34

68.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

$14.87 TND 44.55

-28.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

$6.17 TND 18.48

-10.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

$14.57 TND 43.63

48.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

$1.15 TND 3.44

59.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.62 TND 7.85

-12.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

$0.74 TND 2.22

72.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

$0.64 TND 1.93

184.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

$0.68 TND 2.04

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

$0.81 TND 2.44

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

$0.46 TND 1.37

176.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

$0.28 TND 0.85

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

$3.44 TND 10.30

-31.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

$5.19 TND 15.54

150.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

$1.22 TND 3.66

103.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

$1.33 TND 3.99

163.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

$0.33 TND 0.98

148.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

$10.73 TND 32.15

507.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

$0.31 TND 0.93

329.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

$0.37 TND 1.12

143.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

$3.51 TND 10.52

210.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

$0.88 TND 2.65

62.50%

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

$39.2K TND 117.4K

26.45%

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

$36.1K TND 108.1K

19.67%

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

$44.37 TND 133

100.07%

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

$11.69 ₺579

$10.39 TND 31.13

12.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

$16.46 TND 49.28

-2.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

$15.88 TND 47.56

380.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

$11.68 TND 34.98

94.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

$3.36 TND 10.08

145.83%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

$61.2 TND 183

1558.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$1,945 TND 5,824

1228.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

$48.30 TND 145

10.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

$68.3 TND 204

-40.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

$111 TND 331

-9.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

$67.9 TND 203

37.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

$233 TND 699

318.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

$153 TND 459

309.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

$385 TND 1,154

413.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

$275 TND 824

316.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

$958 TND 2,868

223.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

$617 TND 1,847

189.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

$237 TND 711

410.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

269.91%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kelibia: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Kelibia

$153 23.9% 75.6% $474

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Kelibia

$194 30.2% 26.3% $69

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Kelibia

$54 8.4% 75.7% $168

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Kelibia

$133 20.7% 2.6% $3.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Kelibia

$71 11.1% 38.9% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Kelibia

$23 3.5% 75.6% $70

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Kelibia

$14 2.2% 80.9% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $233 in Kelibia. 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 411% 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 $57.0 in Istanbul versus $13.00 in Kelibia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $194 – making Kelibia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇳 Kelibia

🕒 Local time

02:25 2:25 AM

00:25 12:25 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

58,491

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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 Kelibia 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Kelibia

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 Kelibia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 138%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $962 in Kelibia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,015 per month in Istanbul and $61.2 in Kelibia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 Kelibia, where all-in costs run around $641, than in Istanbul at $1,525. In Kelibia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kelibia – 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 Kelibia. 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.