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: $1,243 in Izmir versus $1,041 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,871 in Izmir versus $1,881 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,500 in Izmir versus $2,721 in Mecca.

Living in Izmir is roughly 19% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 7% lower, Mecca 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 ₺376

$4.88 SAR 18.32

63.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.57 ₺1,819

$40.07 SAR 150

-3.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.06 ₺380

$9.21 SAR 34.60

-12.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.20 ₺151

$3.19 SAR 11.98

0.31%

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

$1.41 ₺66.6

$0.91 SAR 3.41

54.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₺24.53

$0.29 SAR 1.08

79.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 ₺179

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 ₺235

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 ₺51.1

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-35.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺44.45

$0.89 SAR 3.34

5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 ₺123

$2.26 SAR 8.49

15.49%

Eggs

$2.56 ₺121

$2.97 SAR 11.17

-13.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.48 ₺541

$6.92 SAR 26.00

65.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ₺307

$8.58 SAR 32.23

-24.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.03 ₺1,039

$13.57 SAR 51.0

62.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 ₺66.9

$2.31 SAR 8.67

-38.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 ₺131

$1.57 SAR 5.88

77.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ₺72.3

$1.87 SAR 7.02

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 ₺88.7

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-7.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₺41.00

$1.20 SAR 4.49

-27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ₺33.54

$1.22 SAR 4.57

-41.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₺45.28

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₺29.88

$0.66 SAR 2.46

-4.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 ₺105

$7.94 SAR 29.82

-72.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ₺573

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₺98.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₺153

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ₺29.23

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-54.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.87 ₺1,503

$39.83 SAR 150

-19.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ₺148

$2.35 SAR 8.83

33.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₺28.43

$1.83 SAR 6.88

-67.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 ₺234

$10.56 SAR 39.65

-53.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₺55.4

$0.59 SAR 2.22

98.31%

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

$44.3K ₺2.1M

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

68.28%

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

$45.3K ₺2.1M

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

116.45%

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

$100 ₺4,732

$77.1 SAR 289

30.18%

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

$11.45 ₺540

$35.21 SAR 132

-67.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.39 ₺632

$67.3 SAR 253

-80.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.71 ₺2,250

$84.8 SAR 318

-43.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.99 ₺848

$34.89 SAR 131

-48.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 ₺352

$18.68 SAR 70.1

-60.06%

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

$432 ₺20.4K

$399 SAR 1,500

8.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₺591.1K

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

170.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ₺2,446

$22.32 SAR 83.8

132.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.09 ₺1,702

$63.5 SAR 239

-43.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 ₺4,404

$59.2 SAR 222

57.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ₺5,296

$51.3 SAR 192

119.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 ₺30.5K

$226 SAR 849

185.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₺21.7K

$290 SAR 1,090

58.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 ₺50.7K

$686 SAR 2,576

56.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₺35.3K

$1,041 SAR 3,909

-28.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,538 ₺72.5K

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

-75.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 ₺49.8K

$2,305 SAR 8,656

-54.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 ₺53.4K

$1,089 SAR 4,088

4.03%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $646 in Izmir and $226 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Izmir pays 4% 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: $39.00 in Izmir vs $40.00 in Mecca. Groceries flip the comparison at $270 vs $208, 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 19% 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 4% 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: $646 in Izmir versus $226 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,243 per month in Izmir versus $1,041 in Mecca – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 25% less than in Izmir. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,243 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 $1,041 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 19% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.