Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi, Moldova and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Calarasi: $358 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Calarasi

🇲🇩 Moldova

$358

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $358 per month in Calarasi vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Calarasi $358
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $583 per month in Calarasi vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Calarasi $583
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $808 per month in Calarasi vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Calarasi $808
Istanbul $3,212

Calarasi is about 76% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Calarasi sits 74% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 MDL 196

$11.81 ₺592

-6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.92 MDL 388

$54.9 ₺2,754

-60.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 MDL 124

$9.26 ₺465

-24.19%

Cappuccino

$1.41 MDL 24.93

$4.30 ₺216

-67.21%

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

$0.79 MDL 13.96

$1.77 ₺89.0

-55.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MDL 8.33

$0.56 ₺28.32

-16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 MDL 19.34

$4.69 ₺235

-76.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 25.03

$7.12 ₺357

-80.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 MDL 17.99

$1.25 ₺62.7

-18.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 MDL 5.63

$0.88 ₺44.17

-63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

Eggs

$1.90 MDL 33.58

$2.43 ₺122

-21.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 MDL 35.11

$2.30 ₺115

-13.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MDL 11.79

$0.69 ₺34.83

-2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.82

$0.58 ₺28.94

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MDL 19.84

$1.28 ₺64.4

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 MDL 30.55

$1.48 ₺74.0

16.89%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

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

$20.0K MDL 354.1K

$42.0K ₺2.1M

-52.29%

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

$59.0 MDL 1,043

$92.7 ₺4,650

-36.35%

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

$6.75 MDL 119

$11.20 ₺562

-39.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.17 MDL 180

$15.89 ₺797

-36.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 MDL 58.2

$8.05 ₺404

-59.13%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.42 MDL 591

$53.9 ₺2,702

-37.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.30 MDL 589

$41.49 ₺2,081

-19.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MDL 1,867

$101 ₺5,060

4.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.39 MDL 590

$91.3 ₺4,580

-63.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

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

Last update for Calarasi: November 1, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Calarasi

–

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Groceries & Markets

Calarasi

–

Istanbul

$258 17%

Eating Out

Calarasi

–

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Calarasi

–

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calarasi

–

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Calarasi

–

Istanbul

$91 6%

Getting Around

Calarasi

–

Istanbul

$75 5%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Calarasi versus $55 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $42 vs $258 – making Calarasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇩 Calarasi

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

13:44 1:44 PM

14:44 2:44 PM

1 h ahead of Calarasi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,100

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Moldovan Leu MDL L

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 MDL = 5.66 USD

100 MDL = 5.04 EUR

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇩 Moldovan Leu (L)

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 17.68 MDL (100 MDL = 5.66 USD). 1 EUR = 19.86 MDL (100 MDL = 5.04 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to MDL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Calarasi Istanbul 700 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Calarasi
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

Calarasi vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 324%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $537 per month in Calarasi and $2,278 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 522% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Calarasi and $55 in Istanbul. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $358, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul 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 $358 in Calarasi to $1,519 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.