Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharm El Sheikh and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Sharm El Sheikh: $448 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Sharm El Sheikh

🇪🇬 Egypt

$448

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $448 per month in Sharm El Sheikh vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sharm El Sheikh $448
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $693 per month in Sharm El Sheikh vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sharm El Sheikh $693
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $939 per month in Sharm El Sheikh vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sharm El Sheikh $939
Istanbul $3,212

Sharm El Sheikh is about 71% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sharm El Sheikh sits 67% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺591

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.98 E£1,185

$54.9 ₺2,748

-59.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 E£250

$9.26 ₺463

-50.00%

Cappuccino

$2.18 E£118

$4.30 ₺215

-49.30%

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

$0.31 E£16.95

$1.77 ₺88.8

-82.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 E£30.54

$0.56 ₺28.26

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 E£191

$4.69 ₺234

-24.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 E£250

$7.12 ₺356

-34.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 E£44.89

$1.25 ₺62.6

-33.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.07

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.47 E£25.25

$2.20 ₺110

-78.64%

Eggs

$1.11 E£60.0

$2.43 ₺122

-54.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺524

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 E£189

$5.31 ₺266

-33.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,056

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 E£78.8

$1.86 ₺92.9

-21.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.47 E£25.13

$2.30 ₺115

-79.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.44 E£23.55

$1.22 ₺60.8

-63.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.28 E£15.28

$1.80 ₺90.0

-84.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.75

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺67.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 E£109

$2.34 ₺117

-13.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺652

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 E£76.5

$2.36 ₺118

-39.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 E£5.42

$0.88 ₺43.97

-88.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,309

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺555

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.43 E£23.43

$1.48 ₺73.9

-70.95%

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

$31.1K E£1.7M

$48.6K ₺2.4M

-36.01%

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

$20.7K E£1.1M

$42.0K ₺2.1M

-50.71%

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

$92.7 ₺4,639

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

$11.27 E£607

$11.20 ₺560

0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.97 E£1,508

$15.89 ₺795

76.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,737

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,149

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺403

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

$948 ₺47.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,696

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,076

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,049

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,570

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 E£18.7K

$1,014 ₺50.7K

-65.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 E£15.4K

$625 ₺31.3K

-54.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 E£32.1K

$2,005 ₺100.4K

-70.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 E£28.4K

$1,126 ₺56.3K

-53.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$966 E£52.1K

$2,988 ₺149.5K

-67.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$669 E£36.1K

$1,730 ₺86.6K

-61.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$143 E£7,713

$1,136 ₺56.9K

-87.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.5

40.42

-34.44%

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

Last update for Sharm El Sheikh: November 1, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sharm El Sheikh

–

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Groceries & Markets

Sharm El Sheikh

–

Istanbul

$258 17%

Eating Out

Sharm El Sheikh

–

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Sharm El Sheikh

–

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sharm El Sheikh

–

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Sharm El Sheikh

–

Istanbul

$91 6%

Getting Around

Sharm El Sheikh

–

Istanbul

$75 5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Sharm El Sheikh 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.

Salaries in Istanbul are about 7.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $55 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $53 vs $258 – making Sharm El Sheikh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇬 Sharm El Sheikh

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

21:23 9:23 PM

22:23 10:23 PM

1 h ahead of Sharm El Sheikh

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,478

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Egyptian Pound EGP £

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 EGP = 1.86 USD

100 EGP = 1.65 EUR

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇬 Egyptian Pound (£)

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 53.9 EGP (100 EGP = 1.86 USD). 1 EUR = 60.51 EGP (100 EGP = 1.65 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 50.04 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.18 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to EGP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sharm El Sheikh Istanbul 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sharm El Sheikh
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

Sharm El Sheikh vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 239%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $672 per month in Sharm El Sheikh 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 Sharm El Sheikh, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $348 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Groceries cost about 391% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Sharm El Sheikh and $55 in Istanbul. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Sharm El Sheikh, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Sharm El Sheikh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sharm El Sheikh has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $448 in Sharm El Sheikh to $1,519 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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

If budget matters most, go with Sharm El Sheikh. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.