Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kairouan and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Kairouan: $634 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Kairouan
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Kairouan Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Kairouan

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$634

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kairouan 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 Kairouan and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $634 per month in Kairouan vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kairouan $634
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $975 per month in Kairouan vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kairouan $975
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,316 per month in Kairouan vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kairouan $1,316
Istanbul $3,281

Kairouan is about 59% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kairouan sits 53% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 TND 7.96

$12.30 ₺609

-78.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.64 TND 46.83

$54.7 ₺2,708

-71.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 TND 18.49

$9.22 ₺456

-33.08%

Cappuccino

$0.96 TND 2.87

$4.40 ₺218

-78.18%

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

$0.80 TND 2.39

$1.68 ₺83.1

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 TND 1.20

$0.59 ₺29.40

-32.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 TND 5.11

$4.70 ₺233

-63.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 TND 7.92

$5.91 ₺292

-55.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.45 TND 1.36

$1.21 ₺60.0

-62.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.07 TND 0.22

$0.89 ₺44.10

-92.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 TND 5.25

$2.19 ₺108

-20.09%

Eggs

$1.49 TND 4.45

$2.35 ₺116

-36.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 TND 29.97

$10.42 ₺516

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 TND 16.22

$5.65 ₺280

-4.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 TND 35.70

$20.94 ₺1,037

-43.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 TND 6.57

$1.90 ₺94.1

15.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 TND 6.82

$2.31 ₺114

-1.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 TND 3.38

$1.28 ₺63.1

-11.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 TND 2.30

$1.80 ₺89.0

-57.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 TND 1.94

$0.65 ₺32.16

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 TND 1.86

$0.64 ₺31.91

-3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 TND 1.57

$1.25 ₺62.1

-57.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.78

$0.56 ₺27.58

-53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 TND 10.00

$2.37 ₺118

40.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.85 TND 20.52

$13.42 ₺664

-48.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 TND 3.84

$2.40 ₺119

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 TND 4.63

$3.48 ₺172

-55.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 TND 0.95

$0.89 ₺43.84

-64.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 TND 29.77

$67.4 ₺3,338

-85.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 TND 0.86

$1.29 ₺64.1

-77.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 TND 1.00

$0.92 ₺45.70

-63.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 TND 5.27

$10.96 ₺542

-83.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 TND 2.39

$1.47 ₺72.9

-45.58%

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

$39.1K TND 117.1K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-23.02%

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

$36.1K TND 108.3K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-18.83%

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

$60.0 TND 180

$88.6 ₺4,387

-32.32%

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

$9.27 TND 27.77

$11.59 ₺574

-20.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.01 TND 59.9

$15.81 ₺783

26.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.03 TND 69.0

$77.2 ₺3,820

-70.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.53 TND 37.53

$22.74 ₺1,126

-44.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 TND 13.75

$8.14 ₺403

-43.61%

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

$106 TND 317

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-89.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,221 TND 9,647

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-87.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.58 TND 70.6

$54.0 ₺2,671

-56.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 TND 183

$40.83 ₺2,021

49.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.83 TND 140

$98.9 ₺4,895

-52.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 TND 262

$96.6 ₺4,783

-9.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 TND 347

$985 ₺48.7K

-88.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 TND 463

$650 ₺32.2K

-76.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 TND 1,115

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-81.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 TND 812

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-77.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$953 TND 2,855

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-69.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$609 TND 1,825

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-65.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 TND 959

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-73.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.28

40.92

-74.88%

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

Last update for Kairouan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kairouan

$176 27.7%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 47.8% $84

Accommodation & Living

Kairouan

$155 24.4%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 320% $495

Clothing & Footwear

Kairouan

$99 15.6%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 32.5% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kairouan

$89 14.1%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 30% $27

Eating Out

Kairouan

$70 11%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 220% $153

Sport & Entertainment

Kairouan

$32 5.1%

Istanbul

$93 6% 190% $61

Getting Around

Kairouan

$13 2.1%

Istanbul

$77 5% 483% $64

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $116 in Kairouan versus $985 in Istanbul. 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 276% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Kairouan versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $260 – making Kairouan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇳 Kairouan

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

01:56 1:56 AM

03:56 3:56 AM

2 h ahead of Kairouan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

139,070

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Tunisian Dinar TND د.ت

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 TND = 0.334 USD

1 TND = 0.297 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇳 Tunisian Dinar (د.ت)

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to TND in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kairouan Istanbul 1,750 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Kairouan
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

Kairouan vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 145%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $950 per month in Kairouan and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $106 per month in Kairouan and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kairouan, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Kairouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kairouan – 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 Kairouan. 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.