Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dordrecht and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,610 in Dordrecht, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dordrecht
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,610
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,610 in Dordrecht versus $1,550 in Istanbul.

  • Dordrecht $2,610
  • Istanbul $1,550

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,689 in Dordrecht versus $2,415 in Istanbul.

  • Dordrecht $3,689
  • Istanbul $2,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,768 in Dordrecht versus $3,281 in Istanbul.

  • Dordrecht $4,768
  • Istanbul $3,281

Living in Dordrecht is roughly 68% more expensive than in Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dordrecht 93% above, Istanbul 15% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.34 €17.20
$12.30 ₺609
57.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.0 €78.3
$54.7 ₺2,708
60.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.28 €12.70
$9.22 ₺456
54.88%
Cappuccino
$4.08 €3.62
$4.40 ₺218
-7.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 €3.14
$1.68 ₺83.1
110.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.31
$0.59 ₺29.40
340.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.99 €5.32
$4.70 ₺233
27.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.43 €4.83
$5.91 ₺292
-8.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.21 ₺60.0
6.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.07 €1.84
$0.89 ₺44.10
132.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.86 €2.55
$2.19 ₺108
30.59%
Eggs
$4.10 €3.65
$2.35 ₺116
74.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.35 €11.88
$10.42 ₺516
28.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.10 €12.54
$5.65 ₺280
149.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.17 €15.28
$20.94 ₺1,037
-18.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.20
$1.90 ₺94.1
30.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.42 €2.16
$2.31 ₺114
4.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.28 ₺63.1
58.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.66 €3.25
$1.80 ₺89.0
103.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 €1.75
$0.65 ₺32.16
201.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 €1.42
$0.64 ₺31.91
150.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 €1.07
$1.25 ₺62.1
-4.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 €1.02
$0.56 ₺27.58
103.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.46 €11.09
$2.37 ₺118
425.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.25 €6.45
$13.42 ₺664
-45.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 €1.37
$2.40 ₺119
-35.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.30
$3.48 ₺172
-25.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.44 €3.95
$0.89 ₺43.84
398.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.7 €78.9
$67.4 ₺3,338
31.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.11 €3.65
$1.29 ₺64.1
218.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.01 €2.67
$0.92 ₺45.70
227.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.98 €29.34
$10.96 ₺542
200.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.51 €2.23
$1.47 ₺72.9
70.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.7K €37.1K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-17.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K €35.3K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-10.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$399 €355
$88.6 ₺4,387
349.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.90 €28.38
$11.59 ₺574
175.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.22 €42.00
$15.81 ₺783
198.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.53 €31.60
$77.2 ₺3,820
-53.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.08 €21.42
$22.74 ₺1,126
5.89%
Cinema Ticket
$14.36 €12.77
$8.14 ₺403
76.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,457 €2,186
$1,008 ₺49.9K
143.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,085 €7,192
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-68.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.1 €66.8
$54.0 ₺2,671
39.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.72 €31.78
$40.83 ₺2,021
-12.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.0 €84.5
$98.9 ₺4,895
-3.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$176 €157
$96.6 ₺4,783
82.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,454 €1,293
$985 ₺48.7K
47.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 €1,002
$650 ₺32.2K
73.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,122 €1,888
$1,983 ₺98.2K
7.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,618 €1,439
$1,180 ₺58.4K
37.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,285 €3,812
$3,138 ₺155.4K
36.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,815 €3,394
$1,780 ₺88.1K
114.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dordrecht
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,139 €4,571
$1,205 ₺59.7K
326.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.27
40.92
-89.57%

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

Last update for Dordrecht: 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
Dordrecht
$1.1K
Istanbul
$650 42.3% $477
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dordrecht
$478
Istanbul
$116 75.7% $362
Groceries & Markets
Dordrecht
$332
Istanbul
$260 21.8% $72
Eating Out
Dordrecht
$312
Istanbul
$223 28.4% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Dordrecht
$172
Istanbul
$131 24% $41
Getting Around
Dordrecht
$126
Istanbul
$77 38.8% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Dordrecht
$64
Istanbul
$93 45.4% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,454 in Dordrecht and $985 in Istanbul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dordrecht pays 326% 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: $88.0 in Dordrecht vs $55.0 in Istanbul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $260 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Dordrecht
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
07:24 7:24 AM
08:24 8:24 AM
1 h ahead of Dordrecht
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
121,434
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Dordrecht Istanbul 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dordrecht
  • 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
Dordrecht vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Dordrecht?
Istanbul is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dordrecht or Istanbul?
Average pay runs 326% higher in Dordrecht, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Dordrecht and Istanbul?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,454 in Dordrecht versus $985 in Istanbul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Dordrecht and in Istanbul?
Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Dordrecht. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Dordrecht or in Istanbul?
Dining out is cheaper in Istanbul – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $88.0 in Dordrecht. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Dordrecht or in Istanbul?
At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $2,610 in Dordrecht, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Dordrecht. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Dordrecht or Istanbul more family-friendly?
For families, Istanbul is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dordrecht, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Dordrecht or Istanbul?
Safety-wise, Dordrecht 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Dordrecht. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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