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: $1,233 in Izmir versus $974 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,935 in Izmir versus $1,454 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,637 in Izmir versus $1,935 in Mecca.

Living in Izmir is roughly 27% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 10% lower, Mecca 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.32 ₺499

$4.63 SAR 17.38

122.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₺1,830

$26.73 SAR 100

41.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 ₺411

$6.72 SAR 25.23

26.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Cappuccino

$3.69 ₺178

$2.62 SAR 9.83

40.84%

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

$1.48 ₺71.4

$0.67 SAR 2.53

120.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺27.67

$0.23 SAR 0.86

147.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 ₺147

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 ₺253

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ₺52.7

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ₺47.07

$0.94 SAR 3.51

3.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺110

$2.19 SAR 8.22

4.11%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺125

$2.39 SAR 8.98

8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ₺457

$6.20 SAR 23.27

52.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 ₺255

$8.26 SAR 31.03

-36.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.47 ₺1,086

$12.60 SAR 47.31

78.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ₺98.1

$1.98 SAR 7.43

2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₺107

$1.67 SAR 6.27

31.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₺59.6

$1.49 SAR 5.59

-17.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ₺67.5

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ₺25.85

$1.15 SAR 4.32

-53.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₺18.64

$1.36 SAR 5.10

-71.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₺55.9

$1.03 SAR 3.86

12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₺35.42

$0.50 SAR 1.89

46.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺112

$6.66 SAR 25.01

-65.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 ₺565

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺104

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ₺153

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ₺34.10

$1.34 SAR 5.04

-47.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.40 ₺2,048

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 ₺175

$1.81 SAR 6.81

100.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ₺48.49

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 ₺254

$13.42 SAR 50.4

-60.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₺65.3

$0.60 SAR 2.27

125.00%

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

$42.1K ₺2.0M

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

-10.42%

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

$46.8K ₺2.3M

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

118.94%

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

$84.9 ₺4,104

$75.9 SAR 285

11.93%

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

$10.79 ₺521

$35.20 SAR 132

-69.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.87 ₺767

$67.6 SAR 254

-76.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 ₺3,186

$78.5 SAR 295

-16.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.80 ₺1,730

$34.37 SAR 129

4.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺393

$12.08 SAR 45.37

-32.62%

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

$745 ₺36.0K

$391 SAR 1,467

90.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ₺733.2K

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

232.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.77 ₺2,356

$22.43 SAR 84.2

117.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.60 ₺1,865

$58.6 SAR 220

-34.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ₺4,403

$48.48 SAR 182

87.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ₺4,044

$50.9 SAR 191

64.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 ₺29.2K

$576 SAR 2,161

5.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 ₺20.7K

$319 SAR 1,198

34.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 ₺56.1K

$1,512 SAR 5,676

-23.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ₺40.0K

$507 SAR 1,904

63.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,493 ₺72.2K

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

-76.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,054 ₺50.9K

$2,299 SAR 8,632

-54.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,137 ₺54.9K

$1,082 SAR 4,062

5.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.33

5.25

706.29%

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

Last update for Izmir: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $605 in Izmir and $576 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Izmir pays 5% 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: $38.00 in Izmir vs $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $194 per month, with Mecca cheaper across the board.

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 27% 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.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Izmir, 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: $605 in Izmir versus $576 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Izmir. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,233 per month in Izmir versus $974 in Mecca – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $974 in Mecca versus $1,233 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 $974 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 27% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.