Cost of Living Comparison Between Bursa and Istanbul Cost of Living Comparison Between Bursa and Istanbul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Bursa versus $1,451 in Istanbul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Bursa versus $2,235 in Istanbul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,204 in Bursa versus $3,020 in Istanbul.

Living in Bursa costs roughly 28% less than in Istanbul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bursa is 22% below, Istanbul is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.48 ₺426

$11.31 ₺509

-16.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.81 ₺1,385

$51.5 ₺2,316

-40.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 ₺336

Cappuccino

$2.74 ₺123

$3.44 ₺155

-20.35%

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

$1.13 ₺50.7

$1.35 ₺60.7

-16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₺19.22

$0.46 ₺20.51

-6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₺95.8

$3.91 ₺176

-45.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₺100

$5.02 ₺226

-55.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 ₺41.95

$1.10 ₺49.61

-15.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ₺35.02

$0.77 ₺34.69

1.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ₺87.9

$2.17 ₺97.7

-10.14%

Eggs

$1.96 ₺88.0

$2.73 ₺123

-28.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 ₺425

$10.07 ₺453

-6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 ₺261

$6.59 ₺296

-11.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 ₺851

$19.90 ₺894

-4.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ₺66.7

$1.45 ₺65.3

2.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$2.25 ₺101

1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺57.8

$1.28 ₺57.5

0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ₺70.3

$1.63 ₺73.4

-4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₺33.37

$0.76 ₺34.26

-2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₺20.60

$0.73 ₺32.75

-36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₺39.82

$1.17 ₺52.7

-23.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₺12.40

$0.62 ₺27.71

-54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 ₺99.7

$2.20 ₺99.0

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 ₺496

$12.16 ₺547

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₺91.6

$2.21 ₺99.3

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₺89.7

$3.05 ₺137

-34.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 ₺75.9

$0.68 ₺30.55

148.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.58 ₺2,184

$53.8 ₺2,420

-9.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₺39.15

$1.05 ₺47.33

-17.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₺27.66

$0.59 ₺26.66

5.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.93 ₺401

$8.94 ₺402

-0.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.15 ₺51.8

5.22%

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

$41.4K ₺1.9M

$45.8K ₺2.1M

-9.59%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$43.0K ₺1.9M

1.82%

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

$56.0 ₺2,516

$71.5 ₺3,212

-21.65%

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

$9.80 ₺441

$12.33 ₺554

-20.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.65 ₺524

$15.09 ₺678

-22.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₺2,543

$60.4 ₺2,714

-6.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.76 ₺1,697

$18.99 ₺854

98.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ₺353

$7.46 ₺335

5.23%

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

$375 ₺16.8K

$943 ₺42.4K

-60.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K ₺812.3K

$18.3K ₺822.0K

-1.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 ₺2,566

$56.7 ₺2,549

0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 ₺1,961

$46.49 ₺2,090

-6.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 ₺4,489

$115 ₺5,155

-12.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 ₺3,676

$104 ₺4,683

-21.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₺19.6K

$970 ₺43.6K

-54.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₺15.5K

$630 ₺28.3K

-45.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ₺36.0K

$1,746 ₺78.5K

-54.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₺23.1K

$1,064 ₺47.8K

-51.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,341 ₺60.3K

$3,310 ₺148.8K

-59.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₺55.0K

$1,691 ₺76.0K

-27.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,054 ₺47.4K

$1,164 ₺52.3K

-9.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.62

48.43

-12.00%

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

Last update for Bursa: April 21, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Bursa and $970 in Istanbul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 10% 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: $31 in Bursa vs $52 in Istanbul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $253 per month, with Bursa cheaper across the board.

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

Bursa vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bursa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Istanbul earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Bursa versus $970 in Istanbul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Istanbul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bursa – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $52.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,041 in Bursa versus $1,451 in Istanbul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bursa but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Bursa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Bursa 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 Bursa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.