Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $3,464 in Arbon, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

167

Cost of Living Index in Arbon
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Arbon Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Arbon

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,464

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arbon and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Arbon and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,464 per month in Arbon vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Arbon $3,464
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $5,192 per month in Arbon vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Arbon $5,192
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $6,920 per month in Arbon vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Arbon $6,920
Istanbul $3,281

Arbon costs about 124% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Arbon and Istanbul sit above the global median – Arbon by 157%, Istanbul by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.53 CHF 24.33

$12.30 ₺609

140.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 118

$54.7 ₺2,708

162.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.95 CHF 15.61

$9.22 ₺456

105.53%

Cappuccino

$6.11 CHF 5.03

$4.40 ₺218

38.86%

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

$5.74 CHF 4.73

$1.68 ₺83.1

241.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CHF 4.19

$0.59 ₺29.40

762.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 CHF 7.42

$4.70 ₺233

91.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CHF 5.08

$5.91 ₺292

4.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.78

$1.21 ₺60.0

78.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 CHF 2.60

$0.89 ₺44.10

253.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.12

$2.19 ₺108

73.06%

Eggs

$7.88 CHF 6.49

$2.35 ₺116

235.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.14 CHF 20.71

$10.42 ₺516

141.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.41

$5.65 ₺280

403.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.09 CHF 33.84

$20.94 ₺1,037

96.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 CHF 2.82

$1.90 ₺94.1

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.65

$2.31 ₺114

-13.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.97

$1.28 ₺63.1

86.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 CHF 4.35

$1.80 ₺89.0

193.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 CHF 1.68

$0.65 ₺32.16

213.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.80

$0.64 ₺31.91

242.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CHF 1.88

$1.25 ₺62.1

82.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 1.01

$0.56 ₺27.58

117.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.64 CHF 8.77

$2.37 ₺118

348.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.47 CHF 13.57

$13.42 ₺664

22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 CHF 1.75

$2.40 ₺119

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.85

$3.48 ₺172

-35.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.81 CHF 3.96

$0.89 ₺43.84

440.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 CHF 79.1

$67.4 ₺3,338

42.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.50 CHF 5.35

$1.29 ₺64.1

403.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.73 CHF 3.89

$0.92 ₺45.70

414.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.17 CHF 29.79

$10.96 ₺542

230.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.89

$1.47 ₺72.9

55.78%

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

$34.5K CHF 28.4K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-32.16%

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

$39.3K CHF 32.4K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-11.77%

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

$275 CHF 227

$88.6 ₺4,387

210.79%

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

$38.11 CHF 31.39

$11.59 ₺574

228.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 CHF 44.78

$15.81 ₺783

243.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.0 CHF 74.1

$77.2 ₺3,820

16.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.06 CHF 32.17

$22.74 ₺1,126

71.77%

Cinema Ticket

$23.43 CHF 19.29

$8.14 ₺403

187.84%

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

$2,250 CHF 1,853

$1,008 ₺49.9K

123.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K CHF 25.8K

$25.6K ₺1.3M

22.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 118

$54.0 ₺2,671

165.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 CHF 53.6

$40.83 ₺2,021

59.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 CHF 118

$98.9 ₺4,895

44.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 CHF 146

$96.6 ₺4,783

83.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 CHF 1,286

$985 ₺48.7K

58.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 CHF 1,253

$650 ₺32.2K

134.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,904 CHF 2,392

$1,983 ₺98.2K

46.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,322 CHF 1,912

$1,180 ₺58.4K

96.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K CHF 11.5K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

344.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.6K CHF 11.2K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

666.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.1K CHF 9,124

$1,205 ₺59.7K

818.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

40.92

-95.36%

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

Last update for Arbon: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Arbon

$1.5K 43.9%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 57.3% $871

Groceries & Markets

Arbon

$588 17%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 55.8% $328

Eating Out

Arbon

$467 13.5%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 52.2% $244

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arbon

$368 10.6%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 68.5% $252

Clothing & Footwear

Arbon

$238 6.9%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 45.1% $107

Getting Around

Arbon

$145 4.2%

Istanbul

$77 5% 47.1% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Arbon

$137 4%

Istanbul

$93 6% 31.7% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,561 in Arbon versus $985 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 819% higher in Arbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Arbon versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $588 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Arbon

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

12:42 12:42 PM

13:42 1:42 PM

1 h ahead of Arbon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,853

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to CHF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Arbon Istanbul 1,710 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Arbon
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Arbon vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,464 in Arbon, $1,550 in Istanbul – roughly 124% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,197 per month in Arbon and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, 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 $3,464 in Arbon and $1,550 in Istanbul. That's a gap of about 124%.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Istanbul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Arbon at $3,464. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,550 in Istanbul to $3,464 in Arbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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