Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sur

For one person, living is cheaper in Sur: $1,150 a month against $1,525 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Sur
Learn more

Sur Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Sur

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,150

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sur

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,150 in Sur, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Sur $1,150

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,657 in Sur, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Sur $1,657

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,165 in Sur, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Sur $2,165

Istanbul costs about 35% more than Sur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

$3.87 OMR 1.49

209.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

$26.34 OMR 10.14

117.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

$7.71 OMR 2.97

23.35%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.96 OMR 1.91

-11.29%

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

$0.75 OMR 0.29

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

$0.27 OMR 0.10

107.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

$12.80 OMR 4.93

-63.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

$13.17 OMR 5.07

-53.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

$1.54 OMR 0.59

-19.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

$1.24 OMR 0.48

-23.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

$1.71 OMR 0.66

33.33%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

$2.01 OMR 0.77

21.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

$7.30 OMR 2.81

44.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

$7.06 OMR 2.72

-22.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

$9.00 OMR 3.47

140.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

$2.31 OMR 0.89

-20.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.31 OMR 0.50

74.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

$1.01 OMR 0.39

26.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

$0.81 OMR 0.31

124.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

$0.75 OMR 0.29

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

$0.54 OMR 0.21

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

$1.59 OMR 0.61

-20.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

$0.51 OMR 0.19

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

$6.64 OMR 2.56

-64.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

$15.62 OMR 6.02

-16.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

$6.04 OMR 2.33

-58.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

$10.03 OMR 3.86

-65.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

$3.17 OMR 1.22

-58.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

$2.65 OMR 1.02

-66.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

$7.75 OMR 2.99

40.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

$0.53 OMR 0.20

169.81%

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

$25.5K OMR 9,816

94.42%

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

$22.5K OMR 8,655

92.13%

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

$79.4 OMR 30.58

11.77%

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

$11.69 ₺579

$23.55 OMR 9.07

-50.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

$71.4 OMR 27.49

-77.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

$84.7 OMR 32.60

-9.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

$10.27 OMR 3.96

-19.57%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

$283 OMR 109

258.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$6,584 OMR 2,535

292.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

$57.4 OMR 22.09

-7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

$43.21 OMR 16.64

-6.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

$90.7 OMR 34.90

10.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

$88.0 OMR 33.86

6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

$257 OMR 98.9

280.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

$269 OMR 103

133.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

$469 OMR 181

322.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

$389 OMR 150

195.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

$573 OMR 221

440.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

$521 OMR 201

242.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

$2,672 OMR 1,029

-54.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

5.25

675.05%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sur: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Sur

$269 23.4% 57.2% $358

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Sur

$252 21.9% 4.2% $11

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Sur

$208 18.1% 6.3% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Sur

$126 10.9% 2.9% $3.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Sur

$174 15.2% 49.6% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Sur

$105 9.2% 13.4% $12

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Sur

$16 * 1.4% 77.9% $58

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $257 in Sur. 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 122% higher in Sur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $26.00 in Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $252 – making Sur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇴🇲 Sur

🕒 Local time

13:21 1:21 PM

14:21 2:21 PM

1 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

120,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Sur 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sur

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 Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,725 in Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $26.00 in Sur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sur – 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 Sur. 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.