BeirutvsIstanbul
💰
Istanbul saves you $300/month
20% cheaper on rent, food & transport
📶
Istanbul has 3x faster internet
75 Mbps avg download speed
🛂
Turkey offers a digital nomad visa
Long-stay visa for remote workers
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Beirut
Istanbul
Total Budget
$1,500/mo
$1,200/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$800/mo ✓
$900/mo
Coworking
$190/mo
$150/mo ✓
Meal Out
$10
$6 ✓
Coffee
$3
$2.5 ✓
Istanbul is $300/mo cheaper (25% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🌍 Beirut
📶 Internet25 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+2
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West1h
🇺🇸 US East4h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🇹🇷 Istanbul
📶 Internet75 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+2
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West1h
🇺🇸 US East4h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Beirut
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp21°C
Rainy Days72/year
Best months: July, May, June, September
Istanbul
ClimateMediterranean
Avg Temp16°C
Rainy Days100/year
Best months: June, July, August, September
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
15°8°
Apr
19°13°
Jul
29°26°
Oct
24°17°
BeirutIstanbul
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🌍Beirut
🇹🇷Istanbul
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,500
$1,200
Winner📶
Internet Speed
25 Mbps
75 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
2.5/5
3.5/5
Winner⭐
Nomad Score
3.2/10
4/10
Winner🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
9/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
8/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
6/10
👥
Community
small
medium
Winner0
Beirut wins
vs
5
Istanbul wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Istanbul
$300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Istanbul
75 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Istanbul
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Istanbul
Significantly higher safety rating
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🌍Beirut
Pros
- +Rich Mediterranean culture with layers of history, nightlife and café culture in a compact city
- +Lower everyday costs than many European capitals for food, rent and going out (in USD terms)
- +Strong café scene with many laptop-friendly spots in Gemmayze, Mar Mikhael and Hamra
- +Several modern coworking hubs such as BDD, antwork and Berytech with fast, prioritised internet
Cons
- −Ongoing economic and political crises with frequent electricity cuts and fuel issues; most places rely on private generators and solar
- −Security situation and regional tensions mean many governments issue strong travel advisories for Lebanon
- −Internet speeds are lower than global averages and can drop during power rationing, especially outside premium spaces
- −Currency volatility and dual pricing (USD vs local Lira) can make budgeting confusing for newcomers
🇹🇷Istanbul
Pros
- +Incredibly affordable cost of living for a major city
- +Rich history and world-class cultural attractions
- +Excellent public transportation network including metro and ferries
- +Amazing food scene from street food to fine dining
Cons
- −Internet can be inconsistent in some areas
- −Taxi scams are common for tourists
- −Language barrier outside tourist areas
- −Traffic congestion can be severe
