Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Izmir Cost of Living Comparison Between Mecca and Izmir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,243 in Izmir.

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

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

Living in Mecca costs roughly 16% less than in Izmir, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$7.97 ₺376

-38.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$38.57 ₺1,818

3.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.61

$8.06 ₺380

14.27%

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

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$3.20 ₺151

-0.31%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$1.41 ₺66.6

-35.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.52 ₺24.51

-44.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 ₺179

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 ₺235

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.08 ₺51.1

54.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$0.94 ₺44.42

-5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.61 ₺123

-13.41%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$2.56 ₺121

16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$11.48 ₺541

-39.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.24

$6.50 ₺306

32.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$22.03 ₺1,038

-38.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$1.42 ₺66.8

62.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$2.79 ₺131

-43.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.53 ₺72.3

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.88 ₺88.7

7.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$0.87 ₺40.98

37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$0.71 ₺33.52

71.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.96 ₺45.25

9.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$0.63 ₺29.86

4.76%

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)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$2.22 ₺105

257.66%

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)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$0.62 ₺29.21

120.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$31.87 ₺1,502

24.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.84

$3.14 ₺148

-25.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$0.60 ₺28.41

205.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$4.96 ₺234

112.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.17 ₺55.4

-49.57%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$44.3K ₺2.1M

-40.58%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$45.3K ₺2.1M

-53.80%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$100 ₺4,729

-23.19%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$11.45 ₺540

207.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$13.39 ₺631

402.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$47.71 ₺2,249

77.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$17.99 ₺848

93.94%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$7.46 ₺352

150.40%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$432 ₺20.4K

-7.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$12.5K ₺590.8K

-63.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$51.9 ₺2,445

-56.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$36.09 ₺1,701

76.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$93.4 ₺4,402

-36.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$112 ₺5,293

-54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$646 ₺30.5K

-65.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$459 ₺21.7K

-36.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$1,075 ₺50.7K

-36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$748 ₺35.3K

39.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$1,538 ₺72.5K

315.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,657

$1,057 ₺49.8K

118.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$1,133 ₺53.4K

-3.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

39.1

-85.93%

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

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Last update for Izmir: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Mecca and $646 in Izmir. 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: $40.00 in Mecca vs $39.00 in Izmir. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $270, 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

Mecca vs Izmir: 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.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Izmir. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $226 in Mecca versus $646 in Izmir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Mecca versus $1,243 in Izmir – 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, Mecca and Izmir 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.