Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jhelum and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Jhelum: $399 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

19

Cost of Living Index in Jhelum
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Jhelum Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Jhelum

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$399

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jhelum and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jhelum and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $399 per month in Jhelum vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Jhelum $399
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $616 per month in Jhelum vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Jhelum $616
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $834 per month in Jhelum vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Jhelum $834
Istanbul $3,212

Jhelum is about 74% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jhelum sits 71% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 PKR 515

$11.81 ₺592

-84.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.81 PKR 2,989

$54.9 ₺2,754

-80.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 PKR 1,508

$9.26 ₺465

-41.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 PKR 695

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 PKR 587

Cappuccino

$1.50 PKR 416

$4.30 ₺216

-65.12%

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

$0.45 PKR 123

$1.77 ₺89.0

-74.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 PKR 82.4

$0.56 ₺28.32

-46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 PKR 186

$1.25 ₺62.7

-46.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 182

$0.88 ₺44.17

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 337

$2.20 ₺111

-44.55%

Eggs

$1.19 PKR 330

$2.43 ₺122

-51.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 718

$10.48 ₺526

-75.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 PKR 631

$5.31 ₺267

-57.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.72 PKR 751

$21.10 ₺1,058

-87.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 PKR 307

$1.86 ₺93.1

-40.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$2.30 ₺115

-83.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 168

$1.22 ₺61.0

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 174

$1.80 ₺90.2

-65.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 77.4

$0.69 ₺34.83

-59.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 96.0

$0.64 ₺32.16

-45.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 PKR 120

$1.36 ₺68.0

-68.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.58 ₺28.94

-31.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.87 PKR 516

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 PKR 144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 PKR 645

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 PKR 410

$2.34 ₺117

-36.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 53.8

$0.88 ₺44.07

-78.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.82 PKR 2,714

$66.1 ₺3,316

-85.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 PKR 294

$1.28 ₺64.4

-17.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 PKR 306

$0.85 ₺42.80

30.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 PKR 793

$11.09 ₺556

-74.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 PKR 324

$1.48 ₺74.0

-20.95%

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

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

$48.6K ₺2.4M

-50.82%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$42.0K ₺2.1M

-44.35%

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

$66.4 PKR 18.4K

$92.7 ₺4,650

-28.36%

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

$5.63 PKR 1,556

$11.20 ₺562

-49.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.69 PKR 4,061

$15.89 ₺797

-7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.73 PKR 4,071

$74.7 ₺3,745

-80.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.96 PKR 2,200

$22.95 ₺1,151

-65.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 PKR 1,972

$8.05 ₺404

-11.30%

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

$26.80 PKR 7,408

$948 ₺47.6K

-97.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,037 PKR 562.9K

$36.9K ₺1.9M

-94.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.11 PKR 5,280

$53.9 ₺2,702

-64.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.16 PKR 7,228

$41.49 ₺2,081

-36.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.6 PKR 14.8K

$101 ₺5,060

-46.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.33 PKR 8,383

$91.3 ₺4,580

-66.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 PKR 37.7K

$1,014 ₺50.8K

-86.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.5 PKR 23.1K

$625 ₺31.3K

-86.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 PKR 73.6K

$2,005 ₺100.6K

-86.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 PKR 50.9K

$1,126 ₺56.5K

-83.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$832 PKR 229.8K

$2,988 ₺149.8K

-72.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$509 PKR 140.8K

$1,730 ₺86.8K

-70.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

40.42

-70.73%

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

Last update for Jhelum: November 1, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jhelum

$87 21.8%

Istanbul

$120 7.9% 38.1% $33

Accommodation & Living

Jhelum

$84 21%

Istanbul

$625 41.1% 648% $541

Groceries & Markets

Jhelum

$72 18%

Istanbul

$258 17% 260% $186

Clothing & Footwear

Jhelum

$58 14.6%

Istanbul

$129 8.5% 123% $71

Eating Out

Jhelum

$52 13.1%

Istanbul

$221 14.6% 322% $169

Sport & Entertainment

Jhelum

$29 7.3%

Istanbul

$91 6% 213% $62

Getting Around

Jhelum

$17 4.3%

Istanbul

$75 5% 337% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $137 in Jhelum versus $1,014 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Jhelum versus $55 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $72 vs $258 – making Jhelum the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Jhelum

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

20:33 8:33 PM

18:33 6:33 PM

2 h behind Jhelum

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

190,425

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 310 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Jhelum Istanbul 4,030 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Jhelum
Istanbul

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

Jhelum vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 281%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $598 per month in Jhelum and $2,278 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jhelum, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $137 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $27 per month in Jhelum and $948 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 260% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jhelum, where all-in costs run around $399, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Jhelum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jhelum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Jhelum is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 74% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.