Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Rahim Yar Khan

For one person, living is cheaper in Rahim Yar Khan: $444 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Istanbul, Turkey
Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,519
/mo nomad
Rahim Yar Khan
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$444
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Rahim Yar Khan

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 Rahim Yar Khan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $444 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,519
  • Rahim Yar Khan $444

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $643 in Rahim Yar Khan, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,365
  • Rahim Yar Khan $643

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

  • Istanbul $3,212
  • Rahim Yar Khan $843

Istanbul costs about 242% more than Rahim Yar Khan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.81 ₺592
$1.41 PKR 389
737.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9 ₺2,754
$10.64 PKR 2,943
416.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 ₺465
$4.56 PKR 1,261
103.07%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.77 PKR 766
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.38 PKR 1,489
-
Cappuccino
$4.30 ₺216
$0.81 PKR 225
430.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 ₺89.0
$0.28 PKR 76.9
532.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺28.32
$0.19 PKR 52.5
194.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺235
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 ₺357
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 ₺62.7
$0.67 PKR 186
86.57%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 ₺44.17
$0.44 PKR 120
100.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ₺111
$0.65 PKR 181
238.46%
Eggs
$2.43 ₺122
$1.09 PKR 302
122.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.48 ₺526
$3.29 PKR 909
218.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.31 ₺267
$2.49 PKR 688
113.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.10 ₺1,058
$4.44 PKR 1,228
375.23%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ₺93.1
$0.46 PKR 128
304.35%
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 ₺115
$0.34 PKR 94.7
576.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.22 ₺61.0
$0.52 PKR 143
134.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺90.2
$0.37 PKR 103
386.49%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ₺34.83
$0.35 PKR 95.7
97.14%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺32.16
$0.26 PKR 71.4
146.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ₺68.0
$0.17 PKR 48.37
700.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₺28.94
$0.27 PKR 73.7
114.81%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.85 PKR 513
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.96 PKR 818
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 ₺117
$2.11 PKR 585
10.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.03 ₺653
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36 ₺118
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 ₺166
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ₺44.07
$0.13 PKR 34.89
576.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.1 ₺3,316
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ₺64.4
$0.75 PKR 208
70.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.80
$0.34 PKR 94.6
150.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.09 ₺556
$2.33 PKR 643
375.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 ₺74.0
$1.17 PKR 325
26.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.6K ₺2.4M
$25.3K PKR 7.0M
91.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.0K ₺2.1M
$22.8K PKR 6.3M
84.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.7 ₺4,650
$146 PKR 40.4K
-36.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.20 ₺562
$5.06 PKR 1,400
121.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.89 ₺797
$14.34 PKR 3,967
10.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 ₺3,745
$7.30 PKR 2,018
923.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.95 ₺1,151
$18.20 PKR 5,035
26.10%
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 ₺404
$4.42 PKR 1,223
82.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$948 ₺47.6K
$19.40 PKR 5,367
4788.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.9K ₺1.9M
$1,011 PKR 279.5K
3553.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₺2,702
$10.93 PKR 3,022
392.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.49 ₺2,081
$18.29 PKR 5,057
126.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ₺5,060
$91.6 PKR 25.3K
10.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.3 ₺4,580
$25.66 PKR 7,096
255.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 ₺50.8K
$126 PKR 34.9K
703.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$625 ₺31.3K
$89.0 PKR 24.6K
601.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,005 ₺100.6K
$276 PKR 76.3K
626.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 ₺56.5K
$181 PKR 50.0K
523.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,988 ₺149.8K
$551 PKR 152.4K
442.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,730 ₺86.8K
$451 PKR 124.7K
283.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Rahim Yar Khan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,136 ₺57.0K
$90.5 PKR 25.0K
1155.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.42
12.5
223.36%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Rahim Yar Khan: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$625
Rahim Yar Khan
$89 85.7% $535
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$258
Rahim Yar Khan
$67 73.9% $191
Eating Out
Istanbul
$221
Rahim Yar Khan
$37 83.4% $184
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Rahim Yar Khan
$66 49.1% $63
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$120
Rahim Yar Khan
$166 38.2% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$91
Rahim Yar Khan
$16 82.2% $75
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Rahim Yar Khan
$3 * 96% $72

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $126 in Rahim Yar Khan. 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 13 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 Rahim Yar Khan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $67 – making Rahim Yar Khan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇵🇰 Rahim Yar Khan
🕒 Local time
21:14 9:14 PM
23:14 11:14 PM
2 h ahead of Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
420,419
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

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 = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Rahim Yar Khan 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Rahim Yar Khan

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 Rahim Yar Khan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rahim Yar Khan cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 242%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $665 in Rahim Yar Khan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rahim Yar Khan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $126 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.
Is eating out cheaper in Istanbul or in Rahim Yar Khan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul and $11 in Rahim Yar Khan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Rahim Yar Khan?
Groceries cost about 283% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Rahim Yar Khan?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Rahim Yar Khan, where all-in costs run around $444, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Rahim Yar Khan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Rahim Yar Khan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rahim Yar Khan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rahim Yar Khan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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