✦ Compare
Dubai vs
Istanbul
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Istanbul, TR, you'd need
$34,083 / year
Istanbul, TR is 55% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Istanbul, TR vs Dubai, UAE)
- Housing-64%
- Food & groceries-50%
- Transport-56%
- Utilities-45%
- Healthcare-55%
- Goods & services-45%
▤ Full comparison
| Dubai, UAE | Istanbul, TR | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 119 | 54 |
| Housing | 152 | 55 |
| Food | 105 | 52 |
| Transport | 90 | 40 |
| Utilities | 110 | 60 |
| Healthcare | 100 | 45 |
| Goods & services | 110 | 60 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $2,000/mo | $650/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,300/mo | $400/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $4,500/mo | $1,300/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $4,500 | $2,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $841 | $1,852 |
| Inexpensive meal | $12 | $6 |
| Monthly transit pass | $90 | $30 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 0% | 40% |
| VAT / sales tax | 5% | 20% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 15% |
| Corporate tax | 9% | 25% |
| Capital gains | 0% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,500/mo | $700/mo |
| Minimum wage | — | $600/mo |
| GDP per capita | $50,000 | $15,666 |
| Inflation (annual) | 1.3% | 44% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | Yes |
| English proficiency | High | Moderate |
| Coworking spaces | 60 | 50 |
| Time zone | UTC+4 | UTC+3 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 84 | 58 |
| Healthcare index | 80 | 65 |
| Pollution index | 55 | 62 |
| Internet speed | 250 Mbps | 60 Mbps |
| Walkability | 45 | 70 |
| Public transport | 60 | 72 |
| Family-friendly | 70 | 60 |
| Tap water | Use caution | Use caution |
| Health insurance | $150/mo | — |
| Life expectancy | 83 yr | 78 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Restricted | Low |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +19 °C | +6 °C |
| July avg | +36 °C | +24 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 340 | 190 |
| Rainfall / year | 100 mm | 810 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 3 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: United Arab Emirates vs Turkey. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Dubai to Istanbul: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Dubai to Istanbul, your cost of living will be roughly 55% cheaper. Istanbul’s cost-of-living index is 54 versus 119 for Dubai (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Dubai cheaper than Istanbul?
Istanbul is about 55% cheaper than Dubai overall — its cost-of-living index is 54 versus 119 for Dubai.
How much do you need to earn in Istanbul to live like in Dubai?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Dubai is worth about $34,083 in Istanbul. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Dubai or Istanbul?
United Arab Emirates has the lower top income-tax rate — 0% versus 40% in Turkey.
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Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.