Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boras and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,862 in Boras, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

Cost of Living Index in Boras
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Boras Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Boras

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,862

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boras 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 Boras and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,862 in Boras versus $1,550 in Istanbul.

Boras $1,862
Istanbul $1,550

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,190 in Boras versus $2,415 in Istanbul.

Boras $2,190
Istanbul $2,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,519 in Boras versus $3,281 in Istanbul.

Boras $2,519
Istanbul $3,281

Living in Boras is roughly 20% more expensive than in Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boras 38% above, Istanbul 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.85 SEK 127

$12.30 ₺609

4.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 SEK 894

$54.7 ₺2,708

64.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 SEK 97.6

$9.22 ₺456

6.83%

Cappuccino

$4.33 SEK 42.89

$4.40 ₺218

-1.59%

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

$2.12 SEK 21.02

$1.68 ₺83.1

26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 19.33

$0.59 ₺29.40

230.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 SEK 67.9

$4.70 ₺233

45.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 SEK 68.8

$5.91 ₺292

17.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 16.06

$1.21 ₺60.0

33.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 SEK 25.34

$0.89 ₺44.10

187.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 29.17

$2.19 ₺108

34.25%

Eggs

$4.53 SEK 44.88

$2.35 ₺116

92.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 SEK 123

$10.42 ₺516

19.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 SEK 115

$5.65 ₺280

105.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 SEK 153

$20.94 ₺1,037

-26.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 30.72

$1.90 ₺94.1

63.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 SEK 25.83

$2.31 ₺114

12.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 SEK 27.27

$1.28 ₺63.1

114.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 SEK 34.42

$1.80 ₺89.0

92.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SEK 14.43

$0.65 ₺32.16

124.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SEK 13.41

$0.64 ₺31.91

110.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 SEK 21.85

$1.25 ₺62.1

76.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 SEK 13.39

$0.56 ₺27.58

141.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.49 SEK 64.3

$2.37 ₺118

173.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 SEK 81.6

$13.42 ₺664

-38.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 17.65

$2.40 ₺119

-25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SEK 16.08

$3.48 ₺172

-53.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 SEK 36.29

$0.89 ₺43.84

311.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 SEK 748

$67.4 ₺3,338

11.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 SEK 49.83

$1.29 ₺64.1

289.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 SEK 10.64

$0.92 ₺45.70

16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.70 SEK 403

$10.96 ₺542

271.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 SEK 17.55

$1.47 ₺72.9

20.41%

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

$25.3K SEK 250.5K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-50.22%

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

$15.2K SEK 150.9K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-65.80%

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

$58.6 SEK 580

$88.6 ₺4,387

-33.91%

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

$28.96 SEK 287

$11.59 ₺574

149.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 SEK 393

$15.81 ₺783

150.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.24 SEK 339

$77.2 ₺3,820

-55.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.72 SEK 245

$22.74 ₺1,126

8.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SEK 147

$8.14 ₺403

82.56%

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

$156 SEK 1,542

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-84.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.27 SEK 488

$54.0 ₺2,671

-8.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 SEK 502

$40.83 ₺2,021

24.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SEK 778

$98.9 ₺4,895

-20.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SEK 998

$96.6 ₺4,783

4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 SEK 8,540

$650 ₺32.2K

32.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,412 SEK 23.9K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

100.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

40.92

-88.27%

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

Last update for Boras: 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

Boras

$862 46.3%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 24.6% $212

Groceries & Markets

Boras

$334 17.9%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 22.2% $74

Eating Out

Boras

$249 13.4%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 10.2% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boras

$127 6.8%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 8.8% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Boras

$126 6.8%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 4% $5

Getting Around

Boras

$101 5.4%

Istanbul

$77 5% 23.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Boras

$64 3.4%

Istanbul

$93 6% 46.1% $29

Cost Breakdown

Boras pays 100% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $90.0 in Boras vs $55.0 in Istanbul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $260 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇪 Boras

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

10:10 10:10 AM

1 h ahead of Boras

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,273

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Swedish Krona SEK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to SEK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Boras Istanbul 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Boras
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

Boras vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 100% higher in Boras, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $1,862 per month in Boras versus $1,550 in Istanbul – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Istanbul runs roughly 12% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,862 in Boras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Boras. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Istanbul is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boras and Istanbul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.