Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasschaat and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,116 in Brasschaat, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Brasschaat
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,116
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,116 per month in Brasschaat vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Brasschaat $2,116
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $3,166 per month in Brasschaat vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Brasschaat $3,166
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $4,217 per month in Brasschaat vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Brasschaat $4,217
  • Istanbul $3,281

Brasschaat costs about 37% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Brasschaat and Istanbul sit above the global median – Brasschaat by 57%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.53 €20.04
$12.30 ₺609
83.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$105 €93.0
$54.7 ₺2,708
91.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.91 €14.15
$9.22 ₺456
72.56%
Cappuccino
$4.25 €3.78
$4.40 ₺218
-3.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 €3.16
$1.68 ₺83.1
111.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 €2.92
$0.59 ₺29.40
457.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.50 €4.89
$4.70 ₺233
17.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03 €5.36
$5.91 ₺292
2.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 €1.12
$1.21 ₺60.0
4.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 €2.37
$0.89 ₺44.10
200.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.19 ₺108
-1.83%
Eggs
$3.74 €3.32
$2.35 ₺116
59.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.40 €15.48
$10.42 ₺516
66.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.17 €10.82
$5.65 ₺280
115.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.55 €17.39
$20.94 ₺1,037
-6.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 €2.43
$1.90 ₺94.1
43.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.47 €2.20
$2.31 ₺114
6.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.66 €2.37
$1.28 ₺63.1
107.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$1.80 ₺89.0
81.11%
Potato (1kg)
$2.35 €2.09
$0.65 ₺32.16
261.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 €1.74
$0.64 ₺31.91
206.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.25 ₺62.1
20.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.56 ₺27.58
92.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.24 €11.78
$2.37 ₺118
458.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.11 €8.11
$13.42 ₺664
-32.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.40 ₺119
-21.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 €1.75
$3.48 ₺172
-43.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 €2.69
$0.89 ₺43.84
239.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.50 €34.25
$67.4 ₺3,338
-42.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.48 €4.88
$1.29 ₺64.1
324.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.64 €2.35
$0.92 ₺45.70
186.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.88 €22.13
$10.96 ₺542
127.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 €1.79
$1.47 ₺72.9
36.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K €30.8K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-31.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6K €29.9K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-24.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$220 €196
$88.6 ₺4,387
148.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.68 €18.40
$11.59 ₺574
78.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.82 €42.53
$15.81 ₺783
202.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.06 €32.07
$77.2 ₺3,820
-53.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.22 €17.98
$22.74 ₺1,126
-11.08%
Cinema Ticket
$15.27 €13.59
$8.14 ₺403
87.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$562 €500
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-44.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.3K €19.0K
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-16.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €96.1
$54.0 ₺2,671
100.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.31 €41.19
$40.83 ₺2,021
13.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.1
$98.9 ₺4,895
4.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$148 €131
$96.6 ₺4,783
52.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$938 €834
$985 ₺48.7K
-4.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$812 €722
$650 ₺32.2K
24.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,383 €1,230
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-30.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,159 €1,031
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-1.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,653 €4,139
$3,138 ₺155.4K
48.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,801 €2,491
$1,780 ₺88.1K
57.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brasschaat
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,923 €2,600
$1,205 ₺59.7K
142.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.2
40.92
-92.18%

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

Last update for Brasschaat: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brasschaat
$812
Istanbul
$650 20% $162
Groceries & Markets
Brasschaat
$352
Istanbul
$260 26.1% $92
Eating Out
Brasschaat
$346
Istanbul
$223 35.4% $123
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brasschaat
$288
Istanbul
$116 59.8% $172
Clothing & Footwear
Brasschaat
$183
Istanbul
$131 28.4% $52
Getting Around
Brasschaat
$69
Istanbul
$77 11% $7.6
Sport & Entertainment
Brasschaat
$67
Istanbul
$93 40.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Brasschaat 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 142% higher in Brasschaat, 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 $105 in Brasschaat versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Brasschaat
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
08:04 8:04 AM
09:04 9:04 AM
1 h ahead of Brasschaat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,190
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brasschaat Istanbul 2,190 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brasschaat
  • 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
Brasschaat vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brasschaat or Istanbul?
Brasschaat costs about 37% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Brasschaat and in Istanbul?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,174 per month in Brasschaat and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Brasschaat or Istanbul?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Brasschaat compared to Istanbul?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,116 in Brasschaat and $1,550 in Istanbul. That's a gap of about 37%.
How expensive is transport in Brasschaat compared to Istanbul?
Public transport costs about 75% less in Istanbul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Brasschaat or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Brasschaat at $2,116. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brasschaat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Brasschaat or Istanbul?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Istanbul costs $1,550 versus $2,116 in Brasschaat. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Brasschaat compared to Istanbul?
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.
Should I move to Brasschaat or to Istanbul?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brasschaat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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