Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Pakpattan

For one person, living is cheaper in Pakpattan: $448 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
22

Cost of Living Index in Pakpattan
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Pakpattan Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Pakpattan

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$448

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Pakpattan

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $448 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Pakpattan $448

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $646 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Pakpattan $646

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $843 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Pakpattan $843

Istanbul costs about 239% more than Pakpattan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Pakpattan is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$1.24 PKR 341

852.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$10.78 PKR 2,978

409.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$5.28 PKR 1,458

75.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 PKR 752

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 PKR 1,421

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$1.77 PKR 489

142.94%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$0.16 PKR 44.41

1006.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$0.10 PKR 28.80

460.00%

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

$0.63 PKR 174

98.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$0.55 PKR 153

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$0.88 PKR 244

150.00%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$1.14 PKR 315

113.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

$6.85 PKR 1,892

52.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$2.48 PKR 685

114.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$3.63 PKR 1,004

481.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$0.95 PKR 263

95.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$0.46 PKR 127

400.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

$0.28 PKR 76.9

335.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$0.57 PKR 158

215.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$0.39 PKR 109

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$0.45 PKR 125

42.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

$0.50 PKR 137

172.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.37 PKR 102

56.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.83 PKR 506

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 306

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 PKR 673

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$2.14 PKR 593

9.35%

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

$0.18 PKR 50.1

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

$9.75 PKR 2,693

578.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$1.42 PKR 393

-9.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$0.37 PKR 104

129.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

$0.92 PKR 255

1105.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$0.98 PKR 272

51.02%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$24.7K PKR 6.8M

96.67%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

79.74%

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$142 PKR 39.2K

-34.71%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$4.93 PKR 1,362

127.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$18.98 PKR 5,246

-16.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$14.85 PKR 4,103

402.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

$8.04 PKR 2,222

185.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$4.41 PKR 1,219

82.54%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

$12.43 PKR 3,435

7530.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

$995 PKR 274.9K

3611.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$10.72 PKR 2,962

402.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$12.57 PKR 3,473

230.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

$24.84 PKR 6,865

306.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

$14.18 PKR 3,918

543.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

$137 PKR 37.9K

639.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

$84.9 PKR 23.5K

635.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$263 PKR 72.7K

662.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$178 PKR 49.3K

530.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

$806 PKR 222.8K

270.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

$511 PKR 141.2K

238.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$110 PKR 30.5K

931.30%

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 Pakpattan: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Pakpattan

$85 19% 86.4% $540

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Pakpattan

$84 18.7% 67.6% $174

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Pakpattan

$48 10.7% 78.3% $173

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Pakpattan

$28 6.3% 78.3% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Pakpattan

$166 37% 38.5% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Pakpattan

$24 5.3% 73.9% $67

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Pakpattan

$14 3.1% 81.7% $61

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $137 in Pakpattan. 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 10 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 Pakpattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $84 – making Pakpattan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇵🇰 Pakpattan

🕒 Local time

11:48 11:48 AM

13:48 1:48 PM

2 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

176,693

💱 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 = 56.33 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 Pakpattan 4,130 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Pakpattan

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 Pakpattan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 239%, 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 $672 in Pakpattan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pakpattan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $137 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $12.43 in Pakpattan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 208% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Pakpattan, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Pakpattan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pakpattan – 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 Pakpattan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.