Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sidi Bel Abbes

For one person, living is cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes: $524 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Sidi Bel Abbes
Learn more

Sidi Bel Abbes Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Sidi Bel Abbes

🇩🇿 Algeria

$524

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sidi Bel Abbes

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 Sidi Bel Abbes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $524 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Sidi Bel Abbes $524

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

Istanbul $2,415
Sidi Bel Abbes $858

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,191 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Sidi Bel Abbes $1,191

Istanbul costs about 195% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$2.31 DZD 309

432.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$20.73 DZD 2,776

163.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$3.70 DZD 496

149.19%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$0.36 DZD 48.75

1122.22%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.59 DZD 79.0

184.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.26 DZD 34.38

126.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$1.65 DZD 221

184.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$2.82 DZD 377

109.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.94 DZD 126

28.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.08 DZD 11.11

1012.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.01 DZD 135

116.83%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.54 DZD 206

52.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$9.79 DZD 1,311

6.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$5.28 DZD 707

7.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$14.51 DZD 1,943

44.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.64 DZD 353

-28.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.33 DZD 312

-0.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.39 DZD 187

-7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.44 DZD 59.4

309.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.33 DZD 43.60

96.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.63 DZD 84.9

1.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.65 DZD 87.4

92.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.36 DZD 47.74

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$1.95 DZD 260

21.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$9.98 DZD 1,336

34.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.12 DZD 284

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$0.89 DZD 119

291.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.20 DZD 26.81

345.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$6.21 DZD 831

985.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.70 DZD 94.0

84.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.31 DZD 41.36

196.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$2.33 DZD 312

370.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$0.30 DZD 40.13

390.00%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$15.9K DZD 2.1M

219.36%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$29.4K DZD 3.9M

51.38%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$18.93 DZD 2,534

368.09%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$8.56 DZD 1,147

35.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$15.66 DZD 2,097

0.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$17.27 DZD 2,313

346.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$1.52 DZD 203

435.53%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$55.9 DZD 7,489

1702.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$3,201 DZD 428.6K

698.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$33.36 DZD 4,466

61.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$53.9 DZD 7,213

-24.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$79.3 DZD 10.6K

24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$80.7 DZD 10.8K

19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$144 DZD 19.3K

582.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$93.0 DZD 12.5K

598.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$299 DZD 40.0K

564.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$175 DZD 23.4K

573.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$958 DZD 128.2K

227.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$1,171 DZD 156.8K

51.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$336 DZD 45.0K

258.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

6.5

529.54%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Sidi Bel Abbes

$93 17.7% 85.7% $557

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Sidi Bel Abbes

$196 37.4% 24.4% $63

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Sidi Bel Abbes

$51 9.8% 77.1% $172

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Sidi Bel Abbes

$111 21.2% 14.8% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Sidi Bel Abbes

$43 8.2% 62.8% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Sidi Bel Abbes

$20 3.9% 78.3% $73

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Sidi Bel Abbes

$9.3 1.8% 88% $68

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $144 in Sidi Bel Abbes. 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 259% 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 $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $196 – making Sidi Bel Abbes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇩🇿 Sidi Bel Abbes

🕒 Local time

17:13 5:13 PM

15:13 3:13 PM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

212,935

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Algerian Dinar DZD د.ج

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD

1,000 DZD = 6.64 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.64 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Sidi Bel Abbes 2,660 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sidi Bel Abbes

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 Sidi Bel Abbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 195%, 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 $787 in Sidi Bel Abbes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes, 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 $55.9 in Sidi Bel Abbes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 Sidi Bel Abbes, where all-in costs run around $524, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Sidi Bel Abbes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidi Bel Abbes – 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 Sidi Bel Abbes. 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.