Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkey and Saudi Arabia Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkey and Saudi Arabia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,081 in Turkey versus $1,172 in Saudi Arabia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,676 in Turkey versus $1,801 in Saudi Arabia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,271 in Turkey versus $2,430 in Saudi Arabia.

Living in Turkey costs about 8% less than in Saudi Arabia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Turkey 19% lower, Saudi Arabia 12% lower.

Turkey ($878$1,750) and Saudi Arabia ($923$1,753) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.84 ₺419
$6.86 SAR 25.75
28.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.14 ₺1,806
$39.62 SAR 149
-3.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.02 ₺380
$8.11 SAR 30.44
-1.11%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.85 SAR 6.94
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.84 SAR 6.90
-
Cappuccino
$3.33 ₺158
$3.58 SAR 13.45
-6.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 ₺60.9
$0.72 SAR 2.71
79.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₺23.27
$0.27 SAR 1.02
81.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.45 ₺163
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49 ₺213
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 ₺47.29
$1.68 SAR 6.30
-40.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.75 ₺35.42
$1.01 SAR 3.80
-25.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 ₺105
$2.24 SAR 8.40
-0.89%
Eggs
$2.22 ₺105
$2.49 SAR 9.35
-10.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.74 ₺461
$7.25 SAR 27.24
34.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.77 ₺273
$8.21 SAR 30.83
-29.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.39 ₺918
$13.03 SAR 48.91
48.81%
Apples (1kg)
$1.33 ₺63.1
$2.18 SAR 8.20
-38.99%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₺107
$1.65 SAR 6.21
36.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.18 ₺56.0
$1.70 SAR 6.40
-30.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.48 ₺69.9
$1.57 SAR 5.88
-5.73%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 ₺35.97
$1.29 SAR 4.85
-41.09%
Onion (1kg)
$0.62 ₺29.58
$1.36 SAR 5.12
-54.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 ₺49.58
$1.25 SAR 4.70
-16.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₺23.80
$0.58 SAR 2.17
-13.79%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$4.28 SAR 16.06
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.75 SAR 6.59
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.12 SAR 7.96
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18 ₺103
$7.44 SAR 27.95
-70.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.99 ₺521
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12 ₺100
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ₺135
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 ₺34.28
$1.05 SAR 3.93
-31.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.34 ₺2,147
$36.57 SAR 137
23.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ₺50.1
$2.59 SAR 9.74
-59.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.62 ₺29.25
$2.68 SAR 10.07
-76.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.60 ₺360
$13.06 SAR 49.02
-41.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ₺58.2
$0.63 SAR 2.38
95.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.9K ₺2.1M
$25.0K SAR 94.0K
75.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.1M
$22.3K SAR 83.8K
99.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.3 ₺3,329
$106 SAR 397
-33.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.93 ₺518
$33.16 SAR 125
-67.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.03 ₺665
$70.4 SAR 264
-80.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.1 ₺2,374
$92.2 SAR 346
-45.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.76 ₺841
$41.69 SAR 157
-57.40%
Cinema Ticket
$6.33 ₺300
$15.82 SAR 59.4
-59.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$630 ₺29.8K
$351 SAR 1,316
79.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.0K ₺617.8K
$7,210 SAR 27.1K
80.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ₺2,535
$51.5 SAR 194
3.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.48 ₺2,059
$58.7 SAR 220
-25.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 ₺4,948
$93.9 SAR 353
11.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.0 ₺4,594
$84.8 SAR 318
14.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$648 ₺30.7K
$489 SAR 1,837
32.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₺21.3K
$407 SAR 1,528
10.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,159 ₺54.9K
$891 SAR 3,344
30.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$725 ₺34.4K
$635 SAR 2,384
14.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,697 ₺80.4K
$2,304 SAR 8,650
-26.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,076 ₺51.0K
$1,339 SAR 5,028
-19.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,071 ₺50.7K
$1,882 SAR 7,065
-43.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
42.38
4.65
811.40%

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

Last update for Turkey: July 25, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $526 in Turkey, $420 in Saudi Arabia. Capital cities: $737 in Ankara vs $1,092 in Riyadh.

National salary averages: $1,039 in Turkey, $1,952 in Saudi Arabia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 25% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 33% more in Saudi Arabia.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 88% higher in Saudi Arabia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Saudi Arabia.

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
Turkey vs Saudi Arabia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Saudi Arabia compare to the cost in Turkey?
At $1,338 per month in Saudi Arabia and $1,314 in Turkey, there's a 2% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Saudi Arabia vs Turkey?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Turkey: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Saudi Arabia or in Turkey?
Rent in Saudi Arabia is consistently higher than in Turkey across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Saudi Arabia and Turkey on $2,000 per month?
In Turkey, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Saudi Arabia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Saudi Arabia or Turkey?
It depends on what you're after: Turkey wins on affordability; Saudi Arabia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Turkey vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries