Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Ruwi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruwi: $636 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Ruwi

🇴🇲 Oman

$636

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Ruwi

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $636 in Ruwi, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Ruwi $636

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $830 in Ruwi, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Ruwi $830

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,024 in Ruwi, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Ruwi $1,024

Istanbul costs about 140% more than Ruwi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Ruwi is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$2.05 OMR 0.79

-38.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$2.02 OMR 0.78

-52.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.02 OMR 0.39

126.47%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$1.16 OMR 0.45

112.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$2.06 OMR 0.79

412.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$1.96 OMR 0.75

185.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$5.05 OMR 1.94

320.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$1.03 OMR 0.40

87.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$0.98 OMR 0.38

133.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.98 OMR 0.38

30.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$1.03 OMR 0.40

78.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$0.97 OMR 0.37

-30.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$0.97 OMR 0.37

37.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-42.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

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

$11.60 ₺572

$26.34 OMR 10.14

-55.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$77.6 OMR 29.88

-79.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$9.19 OMR 3.54

-9.25%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$397 OMR 153

150.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$397 OMR 153

58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$918 OMR 354

120.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$575 OMR 221

100.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$4,417 OMR 1,700

-72.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Ruwi

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Ruwi

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Ruwi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Ruwi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Ruwi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Ruwi

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Ruwi

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $397 in Ruwi. 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 267% higher in Ruwi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇴🇲 Ruwi

🕒 Local time

15:34 3:34 PM

16:34 4:34 PM

1 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.431 OMR (1 OMR = 2.32 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Ruwi 3,360 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Ruwi

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 140%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $953 in Ruwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,526 in Istanbul and $636 in Ruwi. That's a gap of about 140%.

Groceries cost about 121% 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 Ruwi, where all-in costs run around $636, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Ruwi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ruwi – 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 Ruwi. 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.