Cost of Living Comparison Between Giresun and Istanbul Cost of Living Comparison Between Giresun and Istanbul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,059 in Giresun versus $1,470 in Istanbul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,677 in Giresun versus $2,264 in Istanbul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,296 in Giresun versus $3,058 in Istanbul.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Giresun is 21% below, Istanbul is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 ₺360

$11.38 ₺527

-31.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.04 ₺1,391

$51.8 ₺2,396

-41.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 ₺347

$7.51 ₺348

-0.27%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ₺130

$3.55 ₺164

-20.85%

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

$1.25 ₺57.8

$1.31 ₺60.5

-4.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.76

$0.47 ₺21.60

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ₺159

$3.87 ₺179

-10.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 ₺180

$5.01 ₺232

-22.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 ₺44.47

$1.11 ₺51.5

-13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₺36.68

$0.77 ₺35.60

2.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺106

$2.21 ₺102

4.07%

Eggs

$1.93 ₺89.5

$2.72 ₺126

-29.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ₺438

$10.14 ₺470

-6.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 ₺251

$6.68 ₺309

-18.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.23 ₺890

$20.26 ₺938

-5.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₺57.1

$1.45 ₺67.3

-15.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 ₺99.4

$2.30 ₺106

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ₺51.1

$1.34 ₺61.9

-17.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 ₺59.1

$1.63 ₺75.3

-21.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₺33.37

$0.71 ₺33.01

1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺27.38

$0.72 ₺33.34

-18.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₺42.49

$1.14 ₺52.8

-19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺22.69

$0.58 ₺27.01

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 ₺98.6

$2.18 ₺101

-2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.45 ₺437

$12.15 ₺562

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₺96.6

$2.22 ₺103

-5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₺138

$3.05 ₺141

-2.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ₺31.06

$0.68 ₺31.39

-1.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.99 ₺1,435

$54.7 ₺2,531

-43.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.77

$1.09 ₺50.4

-3.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.15 ₺6.97

$0.63 ₺29.00

-76.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.54 ₺349

$8.64 ₺400

-12.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₺54.9

$1.20 ₺55.8

-0.83%

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

$44.3K ₺2.1M

$46.6K ₺2.2M

-4.86%

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

$43.7K ₺2.0M

$43.0K ₺2.0M

1.82%

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

$61.7 ₺2,855

$73.1 ₺3,384

-15.63%

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

$10.78 ₺499

$12.17 ₺564

-11.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.73 ₺589

$14.81 ₺686

-14.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.95 ₺1,988

$60.3 ₺2,790

-28.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.55 ₺859

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₺270

$7.55 ₺349

-22.65%

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

$612 ₺28.3K

$947 ₺43.8K

-35.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,910 ₺412.4K

$18.1K ₺836.5K

-50.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 ₺2,376

$55.2 ₺2,556

-7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.77 ₺2,072

$46.47 ₺2,151

-3.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ₺4,871

$113 ₺5,211

-6.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 ₺4,139

$107 ₺4,943

-16.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 ₺23.3K

$979 ₺45.3K

-48.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 ₺17.8K

$609 ₺28.2K

-36.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 ₺41.5K

$1,771 ₺82.0K

-49.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 ₺33.0K

$1,063 ₺49.2K

-32.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,427 ₺66.0K

$3,175 ₺147.0K

-55.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,028 ₺47.6K

$1,697 ₺78.6K

-39.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ₺41.5K

$1,188 ₺55.0K

-24.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

36.83

48.43

-23.95%

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

Last update for Giresun: June 14, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $504 in Giresun and $979 in Istanbul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 32% 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: $30.00 in Giresun vs $52.0 in Istanbul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $254 per month, with Giresun 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

Giresun vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Giresun and Istanbul differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,059 vs $1,470 including rent). Giresun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Istanbul earns 32% 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: $504 in Giresun versus $979 in Istanbul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Giresun – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $52.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,059 per month in Giresun versus $1,470 in Istanbul – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,059 in Giresun versus $1,470 in Istanbul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Giresun but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Giresun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Giresun 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 Giresun 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.