Cost of Living Comparison Between Diyarbakir and Istanbul Cost of Living Comparison Between Diyarbakir and Istanbul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Diyarbakir vs $1,451 in Istanbul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,387 per month in Diyarbakir vs $2,235 in Istanbul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Diyarbakir vs $3,020 in Istanbul, rent included.

Diyarbakir is about 35% cheaper than Istanbul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Diyarbakir sits 30% below the global median, while Istanbul is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.09 ₺229

$11.31 ₺509

-55.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.25 ₺865

$51.5 ₺2,316

-62.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 ₺277

$7.47 ₺336

-17.40%

Cappuccino

$2.22 ₺99.6

$3.44 ₺155

-35.47%

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

$1.01 ₺45.30

$1.35 ₺60.7

-25.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₺10.70

$0.46 ₺20.51

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 ₺89.0

$3.91 ₺176

-49.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₺112

$5.02 ₺226

-50.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 ₺46.95

$1.10 ₺49.61

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₺21.28

$0.77 ₺34.69

-38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 ₺89.6

$2.17 ₺97.7

-8.29%

Eggs

$1.19 ₺53.6

$2.73 ₺123

-56.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 ₺283

$10.07 ₺453

-37.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.47 ₺111

$6.59 ₺296

-62.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 ₺568

$19.90 ₺894

-36.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 ₺47.20

$1.45 ₺65.3

-27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₺70.1

$2.25 ₺101

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 ₺35.48

$1.28 ₺57.5

-38.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 ₺32.84

$1.63 ₺73.4

-55.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₺17.68

$0.76 ₺34.26

-48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₺16.57

$0.73 ₺32.75

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₺29.43

$1.17 ₺52.7

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₺16.17

$0.62 ₺27.71

-41.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 ₺93.7

$2.20 ₺99.0

-5.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.40 ₺243

$12.16 ₺547

-55.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₺89.2

$2.21 ₺99.3

-10.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₺113

$3.05 ₺137

-17.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ₺28.13

$0.68 ₺30.55

-7.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.58 ₺1,375

$53.8 ₺2,420

-43.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₺33.65

$1.05 ₺47.33

-28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₺29.65

$0.59 ₺26.66

11.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₺351

$8.94 ₺402

-12.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₺50.2

$1.15 ₺51.8

-2.61%

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

$38.7K ₺1.7M

$45.8K ₺2.1M

-15.33%

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

$42.7K ₺1.9M

$43.0K ₺1.9M

-0.76%

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

$73.8 ₺3,318

$71.5 ₺3,212

3.30%

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

$7.56 ₺340

$12.33 ₺554

-38.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.55 ₺564

$15.09 ₺678

-16.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.60 ₺1,960

$60.4 ₺2,714

-27.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.56 ₺924

$18.99 ₺854

8.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 ₺401

$7.46 ₺335

19.57%

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

$217 ₺9,744

$943 ₺42.4K

-77.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,611 ₺207.2K

$18.3K ₺822.0K

-74.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.01 ₺855

$56.7 ₺2,549

-66.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.44 ₺1,143

$46.49 ₺2,090

-45.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ₺3,461

$115 ₺5,155

-32.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.4 ₺2,311

$104 ₺4,683

-50.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ₺23.0K

$970 ₺43.6K

-47.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ₺17.9K

$630 ₺28.3K

-36.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 ₺39.1K

$1,746 ₺78.5K

-50.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 ₺31.9K

$1,064 ₺47.8K

-33.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,310 ₺148.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,691 ₺76.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 ₺42.5K

$1,164 ₺52.3K

-18.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

-23.60%

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

Last update for Diyarbakir: April 20, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Diyarbakir versus $970 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 23% higher in Istanbul, 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 $19 in Diyarbakir versus $52 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $253 – making Diyarbakir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Diyarbakir vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $942 in Diyarbakir, $1,451 in Istanbul – roughly 54% apart. Istanbul costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,413 per month in Diyarbakir and $2,176 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Diyarbakir, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Diyarbakir and $52.0 in Istanbul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Diyarbakir, where all-in costs run around $942, than in Istanbul at $1,451. In Diyarbakir 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 $942 in Diyarbakir to $1,451 in Istanbul. 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 Diyarbakir. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.