Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Mostaganem

For one person, living is cheaper in Mostaganem: $530 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Mostaganem
Learn more

Mostaganem Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Mostaganem

🇩🇿 Algeria

$530

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Mostaganem

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $530 in Mostaganem, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Mostaganem $530

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $858 in Mostaganem, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Mostaganem $858

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,186 in Mostaganem, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Mostaganem $1,186

Istanbul costs about 193% more than Mostaganem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Mostaganem is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺607

$3.42 DZD 457

259.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,700

$26.46 DZD 3,542

106.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺455

$4.26 DZD 570

116.43%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺217

$1.13 DZD 152

289.38%

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

$1.68 ₺82.8

$0.59 DZD 78.9

184.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$0.27 DZD 35.94

118.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺232

$2.17 DZD 291

116.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$2.25 DZD 301

162.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺59.8

$0.79 DZD 106

53.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺43.97

$0.15 DZD 19.60

493.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.11 DZD 148

97.30%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.24 DZD 166

89.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺514

$3.80 DZD 509

174.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺279

$3.87 DZD 518

45.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,033

$14.14 DZD 1,893

48.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺93.8

$2.04 DZD 273

-6.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.74 DZD 367

-15.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.0

$1.11 DZD 149

15.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺88.7

$0.72 DZD 96.3

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.07

$0.35 DZD 46.69

85.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.82

$0.27 DZD 36.20

137.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺61.9

$0.80 DZD 107

56.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.50

$0.27 DZD 36.40

107.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺117

$2.50 DZD 334

-5.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺662

$6.62 DZD 887

102.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.22 DZD 163

96.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.84 DZD 247

89.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.71

$0.29 DZD 38.65

206.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,328

$6.51 DZD 871

935.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺63.9

$0.54 DZD 71.7

138.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.56

$0.46 DZD 61.9

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺541

$2.25 DZD 301

387.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.7

$0.23 DZD 30.79

539.13%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$35.2K DZD 4.7M

44.09%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$34.2K DZD 4.6M

30.12%

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

$88.6 ₺4,374

$35.56 DZD 4,761

149.18%

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

$11.59 ₺572

$7.09 DZD 949

63.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺781

$12.47 DZD 1,669

26.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,809

$22.27 DZD 2,982

246.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,122

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺402

$4.36 DZD 584

86.70%

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

$1,008 ₺49.8K

$73.0 DZD 9,776

1280.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$6,224 DZD 833.2K

310.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,663

$32.68 DZD 4,374

65.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,015

$33.98 DZD 4,548

20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,881

$69.2 DZD 9,260

42.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,768

$79.9 DZD 10.7K

20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.6K

$143 DZD 19.1K

589.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.1K

$106 DZD 14.1K

515.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺97.9K

$239 DZD 32.0K

729.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.3K

$179 DZD 23.9K

560.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺154.9K

$957 DZD 128.1K

227.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺87.9K

$1,071 DZD 143.4K

66.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.5K

$226 DZD 30.3K

432.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

5.3

672.08%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Mostaganem: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Mostaganem

$106 20% 83.7% $544

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Mostaganem

$158 29.8% 39.3% $102

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Mostaganem

$72 13.7% 67.5% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Mostaganem

$97 18.3% 25.7% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Mostaganem

$55 10.4% 52.5% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Mostaganem

$31 5.9% 66.8% $62

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Mostaganem

$11 2% 86.3% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $143 in Mostaganem. 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 432% 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 $26.00 in Mostaganem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $158 – making Mostaganem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇩🇿 Mostaganem

🕒 Local time

21:08 9:08 PM

19:08 7:08 PM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

145,696

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Algerian Dinar DZD د.ج

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD

1,000 DZD = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 49.36 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.1 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 149 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.69 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Mostaganem 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Mostaganem

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 Mostaganem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 193%, 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 $794 in Mostaganem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mostaganem, 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 $73.0 in Mostaganem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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 Mostaganem, where all-in costs run around $530, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Mostaganem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mostaganem – 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 Mostaganem. 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.