🇹🇷Cost of Living in Istanbul

Turkey · Population: 15,840,000 · Cost Index: 35/100

Cost of Living in Istanbul

Turkey · Asia

Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus strait, offering a rich blend of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman history. It provides affordable living with world-class culture.

15,840,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $1,450 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Istanbul

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$1,450

per month

Couple

$2,180

per month

Family of 4

$3,050

per month

Student

$1,090

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Istanbul, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $545.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$450.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$280.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$900.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$550.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $3.91

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$3.50

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$20.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$4.50

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.00

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$0.40

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.20

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$1.80

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$4.00

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.20

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.50

Transportation

Avg: $5.58

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$25.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.50

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$0.80

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.45

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.15

Utilities

Avg: $28.33

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$65.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$8.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$12.00

Healthcare

Avg: $13.33

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$15.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$20.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$5.00

Entertainment

Avg: $8.63

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$25.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$4.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$2.00

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$3.50

Clothing

Avg: $38.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$35.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$20.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$60.00

Popular Istanbul comparisons

Istanbul vs Ankara Istanbul vs Izmir Istanbul vs Antalya Istanbul vs New York Istanbul vs London Istanbul vs Tokyo Istanbul vs Singapore Istanbul vs Dubai

Frequently asked questions about Istanbul

Is Istanbul expensive to live in?

Istanbul has a cost of living index of 35 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the more affordable cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Istanbul?

A single person needs an estimated $1,450 per month to live in Istanbul, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Istanbul?

Istanbul's cost of living index is 35 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Istanbul?

Istanbul scores 55 out of 100 for quality of life and 60 out of 100 for safety in our index.