Cost of Living Comparison Between Amasya and Istanbul Cost of Living Comparison Between Amasya and Istanbul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,147 per month in Amasya vs $1,538 in Istanbul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,755 per month in Amasya vs $2,390 in Istanbul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,364 per month in Amasya vs $3,241 in Istanbul, rent included.

Amasya is about 25% cheaper than Istanbul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Amasya sits 17% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 ₺495

$10.28 ₺496

-0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.90 ₺1,974

$51.9 ₺2,506

-21.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 ₺442

Cappuccino

$3.97 ₺192

$4.20 ₺203

-5.48%

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

$1.61 ₺78.0

$1.68 ₺81.3

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₺33.87

$0.59 ₺28.59

18.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 ₺242

$4.08 ₺197

23.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 ₺249

$6.04 ₺291

-14.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺57.0

$1.22 ₺59.1

-3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₺47.61

$0.94 ₺45.61

5.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 ₺113

$2.37 ₺114

-0.84%

Eggs

$2.46 ₺119

$2.45 ₺118

0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 ₺483

$10.80 ₺521

-7.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 ₺254

$5.38 ₺260

-2.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 ₺962

$21.07 ₺1,017

-5.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ₺94.0

$1.97 ₺95.3

-1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 ₺105

$2.27 ₺109

-3.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ₺68.1

$1.17 ₺56.5

20.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₺71.8

$1.94 ₺93.8

-23.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ₺29.27

$0.63 ₺30.17

-3.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₺22.59

$0.56 ₺27.18

-16.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₺48.96

$1.09 ₺52.6

-7.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺32.59

$0.62 ₺30.10

9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 ₺108

$2.34 ₺113

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 ₺557

$13.70 ₺661

-15.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₺104

$2.43 ₺117

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₺154

$3.35 ₺162

-4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 ₺35.88

$0.89 ₺42.97

-16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.30 ₺1,607

$68.7 ₺3,315

-51.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₺57.5

$1.37 ₺66.2

-13.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₺36.89

$0.89 ₺42.93

-14.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 ₺232

$10.86 ₺524

-55.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₺64.1

$1.37 ₺65.9

-2.92%

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

$49.4K ₺2.4M

$52.1K ₺2.5M

-5.22%

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

$42.4K ₺2.0M

$43.6K ₺2.1M

-2.76%

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

$92.0 ₺4,442

$90.0 ₺4,346

2.21%

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

$10.57 ₺510

$11.49 ₺555

-8.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ₺840

$16.30 ₺787

6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ₺2,592

$71.4 ₺3,449

-24.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 ₺1,117

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 ₺391

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

$975 ₺47.1K

$989 ₺47.7K

-1.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K ₺862.9K

$27.6K ₺1.3M

-35.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 ₺2,437

$53.6 ₺2,589

-5.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 ₺2,305

$40.45 ₺1,953

18.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺5,038

$101 ₺4,874

3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 ₺4,483

$93.1 ₺4,496

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ₺21.6K

$975 ₺47.0K

-54.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ₺15.0K

$643 ₺31.0K

-51.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₺35.2K

$1,925 ₺92.9K

-62.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₺28.2K

$1,178 ₺56.9K

-50.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,278 ₺61.7K

$3,080 ₺148.7K

-58.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,048 ₺50.6K

$1,690 ₺81.6K

-38.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,219 ₺58.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.75

41.09

6.47%

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

Last update for Amasya: August 30, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Amasya versus $975 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Amasya versus $52.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $262 – making Amasya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Amasya vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,720 per month in Amasya and $2,307 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Amasya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,147 in Amasya and $1,538 in Istanbul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Amasya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Amasya, where all-in costs run around $1,147, than in Istanbul at $1,538. In Amasya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Amasya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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