Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Mecca Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Mecca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,235 in Izmir versus $1,065 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,876 in Izmir versus $1,917 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,517 in Izmir versus $2,769 in Mecca.

Living in Izmir is roughly 16% more expensive than Mecca, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 8% lower, Mecca 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 ₺369

$4.89 SAR 18.35

64.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.40 ₺1,719

$39.53 SAR 148

-5.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ₺352

$9.39 SAR 35.24

-18.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Cappuccino

$3.35 ₺154

$3.16 SAR 11.87

6.01%

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

$1.44 ₺66.2

$0.87 SAR 3.25

65.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₺24.36

$0.29 SAR 1.07

82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 ₺177

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₺228

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺48.51

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-35.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺40.65

$0.89 SAR 3.34

-1.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₺115

$2.24 SAR 8.41

11.61%

Eggs

$2.53 ₺116

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 ₺536

$7.04 SAR 26.43

65.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 ₺313

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-18.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.53 ₺990

$13.38 SAR 50.2

60.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 ₺65.8

$2.31 SAR 8.69

-38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 ₺130

$1.61 SAR 6.06

75.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ₺67.8

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-16.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ₺85.7

$2.04 SAR 7.66

-8.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ₺40.51

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-30.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₺30.78

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-45.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₺46.92

$1.06 SAR 3.96

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₺29.27

$0.68 SAR 2.56

-5.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺107

$8.01 SAR 30.07

-71.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 ₺497

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₺100

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₺149

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 ₺27.59

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-54.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.50 ₺1,448

$40.59 SAR 152

-22.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ₺143

$2.44 SAR 9.14

27.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₺29.65

$1.83 SAR 6.89

-64.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 ₺227

$10.59 SAR 39.75

-53.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₺56.3

$0.60 SAR 2.26

105.00%

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

$44.8K ₺2.1M

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

67.36%

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

$45.6K ₺2.1M

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

112.79%

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

$99.6 ₺4,579

$77.7 SAR 291

28.31%

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

$11.43 ₺525

$35.25 SAR 132

-67.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.19 ₺606

$65.8 SAR 247

-79.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.97 ₺2,205

$87.6 SAR 329

-45.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.08 ₺831

$34.97 SAR 131

-48.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 ₺358

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-58.04%

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

$447 ₺20.5K

$404 SAR 1,518

10.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₺578.6K

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

173.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ₺2,383

$22.51 SAR 84.5

130.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 ₺1,653

$62.5 SAR 235

-42.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 ₺4,228

$58.8 SAR 221

56.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₺5,209

$51.1 SAR 192

121.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₺29.5K

$231 SAR 868

178.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₺21.2K

$282 SAR 1,059

63.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 ₺50.4K

$669 SAR 2,510

63.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₺34.0K

$1,026 SAR 3,851

-27.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,550 ₺71.2K

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-76.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,080 ₺49.6K

$2,238 SAR 8,400

-51.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,148 ₺52.8K

$1,075 SAR 4,035

6.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.1

5.5

610.91%

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

Last update for Izmir: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $643 in Izmir and $231 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Izmir pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Izmir vs $40.00 in Mecca. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $207, with Mecca cheaper for home cooking.

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

Izmir vs Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Izmir. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mecca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Izmir pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $643 in Izmir versus $231 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,235 per month in Izmir versus $1,065 in Mecca – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 29% less than in Izmir. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,235 in Izmir, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Izmir. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mecca delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,065 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mecca hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Izmir and Mecca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.