Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mahdia and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahdia: $557 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

27

Cost of Living Index in Mahdia
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Mahdia Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Mahdia

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$557

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $557 per month in Mahdia vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mahdia $557
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $881 per month in Mahdia vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mahdia $881
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,206 per month in Mahdia vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mahdia $1,206
Istanbul $3,281

Mahdia is about 64% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Mahdia sits 59% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.48 TND 7.44

$12.30 ₺609

-79.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.01 TND 59.9

$54.7 ₺2,708

-63.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 TND 14.49

$9.22 ₺456

-47.51%

Cappuccino

$0.96 TND 2.89

$4.40 ₺218

-78.18%

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

$0.57 TND 1.72

$1.68 ₺83.1

-66.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 TND 0.56

$0.59 ₺29.40

-67.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 TND 3.07

$4.70 ₺233

-78.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 TND 4.52

$5.91 ₺292

-74.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.43 TND 1.30

$1.21 ₺60.0

-64.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 TND 0.78

$0.89 ₺44.10

-70.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 TND 4.13

$2.19 ₺108

-36.99%

Eggs

$1.53 TND 4.58

$2.35 ₺116

-34.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.75 TND 35.19

$10.42 ₺516

12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 TND 14.87

$5.65 ₺280

-12.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.46 TND 43.29

$20.94 ₺1,037

-30.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 TND 8.56

$1.90 ₺94.1

50.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 TND 8.55

$2.31 ₺114

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 TND 4.32

$1.28 ₺63.1

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.15

$1.80 ₺89.0

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 TND 1.94

$0.65 ₺32.16

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 TND 1.03

$0.64 ₺31.91

-46.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.29

$1.25 ₺62.1

-65.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.94

$0.56 ₺27.58

-44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 TND 10.56

$2.37 ₺118

48.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.35 TND 10.04

$13.42 ₺664

-75.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 TND 4.88

$2.40 ₺119

-32.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 TND 3.75

$3.48 ₺172

-64.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 TND 0.95

$0.89 ₺43.84

-64.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.33 TND 39.92

$67.4 ₺3,338

-80.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.93

$1.29 ₺64.1

-75.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 TND 0.77

$0.92 ₺45.70

-71.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.64

$1.47 ₺72.9

-40.14%

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

$40.9K TND 122.5K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-19.50%

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

$40.1K TND 120.0K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-10.00%

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

$56.3 TND 169

$88.6 ₺4,387

-36.43%

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

$7.15 TND 21.41

$11.59 ₺574

-38.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.10 TND 60.2

$15.81 ₺783

27.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.52 TND 61.5

$77.2 ₺3,820

-73.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 TND 23.03

$22.74 ₺1,126

-66.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 TND 20.36

$8.14 ₺403

-16.46%

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

$109 TND 326

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-89.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$985 TND 2,951

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-96.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.98 TND 114

$54.0 ₺2,671

-29.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.80 TND 98.2

$40.83 ₺2,021

-19.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 TND 230

$98.9 ₺4,895

-22.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.51 TND 70.4

$96.6 ₺4,783

-75.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 TND 390

$985 ₺48.7K

-86.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 TND 301

$650 ₺32.2K

-84.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 TND 875

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-85.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 TND 523

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-85.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$675 TND 2,022

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-78.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$201 TND 602

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-88.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$232 TND 695

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-80.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.33

40.92

-74.76%

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

Last update for Mahdia: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mahdia

$188 33.8%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 37.9% $71

Accommodation & Living

Mahdia

$100 18%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 548% $549

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mahdia

$84 15%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 38.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Mahdia

$77 13.8%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 69.6% $54

Eating Out

Mahdia

$57 10.3%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 291% $166

Sport & Entertainment

Mahdia

$34 6.1%

Istanbul

$93 6% 174% $59

Getting Around

Mahdia

$16 2.9%

Istanbul

$77 5% 375% $61

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Mahdia 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 420% 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 $20.00 in Mahdia versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $260 – making Mahdia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇳 Mahdia

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

16:17 4:17 PM

18:17 6:17 PM

2 h ahead of Mahdia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,545

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 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to TND in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mahdia Istanbul 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mahdia
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

Mahdia vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 178%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $835 per month in Mahdia 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 Mahdia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $109 per month in Mahdia 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 38% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahdia, where all-in costs run around $557, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Mahdia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mahdia – 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 Mahdia. 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.