Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Mehar

For one person, living is cheaper in Mehar: $456 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
22

Cost of Living Index in Mehar
Learn more

Mehar Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Mehar

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Mehar

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $456 in Mehar, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Mehar $456

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $683 in Mehar, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Mehar $683

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $910 in Mehar, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Mehar $910

Istanbul costs about 233% more than Mehar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Mehar is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$2.14 PKR 591

451.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$10.62 PKR 2,936

417.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$5.56 PKR 1,535

66.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 PKR 706

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,443

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$1.59 PKR 438

170.44%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$0.34 PKR 94.3

420.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$0.20 PKR 54.5

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$0.80 PKR 222

56.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$0.59 PKR 163

49.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$1.13 PKR 313

94.69%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$1.14 PKR 315

113.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

$5.95 PKR 1,645

76.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$2.47 PKR 681

114.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$4.92 PKR 1,361

328.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$1.11 PKR 306

67.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$0.53 PKR 147

333.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

$0.73 PKR 201

67.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$0.52 PKR 144

246.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$0.28 PKR 77.2

146.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$0.39 PKR 107

64.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

$0.44 PKR 121

209.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.35 PKR 95.6

65.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.79 PKR 495

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 294

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 PKR 668

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$2.00 PKR 553

17.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

$0.17 PKR 47.38

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

$9.76 PKR 2,697

577.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$1.11 PKR 305

15.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$0.69 PKR 192

23.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

$1.61 PKR 446

588.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$1.23 PKR 340

20.33%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

127.44%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

79.12%

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$104 PKR 28.6K

-10.45%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$5.75 PKR 1,589

94.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$14.27 PKR 3,943

11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$14.93 PKR 4,127

400.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

$8.27 PKR 2,286

177.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$4.37 PKR 1,207

84.21%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

$42.93 PKR 11.9K

2109.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

$1,056 PKR 291.9K

3395.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$17.03 PKR 4,707

216.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$22.37 PKR 6,183

85.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

$67.1 PKR 18.5K

50.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

$32.44 PKR 8,964

181.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

$134 PKR 37.2K

654.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

$86.6 PKR 23.9K

621.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$263 PKR 72.6K

663.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$178 PKR 49.2K

532.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

$825 PKR 228.1K

261.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

$505 PKR 139.6K

242.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$106 PKR 29.4K

967.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

210.92%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Mehar: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Mehar

$87 19% 86.1% $538

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Mehar

$90 19.7% 65.3% $169

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Mehar

$55 12.1% 75.1% $166

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Mehar

$63 13.7% 51.7% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Mehar

$124 27.1% 3.1% $3.8

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Mehar

$24 5.2% 73.9% $67

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Mehar

$15 3.3% 80% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $134 in Mehar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Istanbul are about 11 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $11 in Mehar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $90 – making Mehar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇵🇰 Mehar

🕒 Local time

07:34 7:34 AM

09:34 9:34 AM

2 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.3 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Mehar 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Mehar

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 Mehar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 233%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $684 in Mehar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mehar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $134 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $43 in Mehar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 188% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Mehar, where all-in costs run around $456, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Mehar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mehar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mehar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.