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: $1,055 in Giresun versus $1,452 in Istanbul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,667 in Giresun versus $2,224 in Istanbul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,279 in Giresun versus $2,996 in Istanbul.

Living in Giresun costs roughly 27% less than in Istanbul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Giresun is 21% below, Istanbul is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.67 ₺355

$11.30 ₺523

-32.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.08 ₺1,392

$51.7 ₺2,393

-41.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 ₺358

$7.46 ₺345

3.75%

Cappuccino

$2.84 ₺131

$3.46 ₺160

-17.92%

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

$1.30 ₺60.2

$1.35 ₺62.4

-3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺21.43

$0.47 ₺21.56

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 ₺158

$3.83 ₺177

-10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 ₺184

$5.22 ₺241

-23.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₺47.29

$1.07 ₺49.31

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ₺36.14

$0.83 ₺38.18

-6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 ₺106

$2.21 ₺102

4.07%

Eggs

$1.94 ₺89.7

$2.59 ₺120

-25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.65 ₺446

$10.32 ₺477

-6.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 ₺256

$6.53 ₺302

-15.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.70 ₺912

$19.83 ₺917

-0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 ₺58.0

$1.50 ₺69.6

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 ₺96.1

$2.19 ₺101

-5.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₺48.58

$1.29 ₺59.8

-18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 ₺61.3

$1.58 ₺73.2

-15.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ₺34.00

$0.76 ₺35.06

-3.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₺27.73

$0.73 ₺33.85

-17.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ₺39.65

$1.13 ₺52.3

-23.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺22.53

$0.58 ₺26.89

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺99.4

$2.20 ₺102

-2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.77 ₺452

$12.23 ₺566

-20.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₺101

$2.12 ₺98.2

3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₺138

$3.06 ₺142

-2.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 ₺30.55

$0.72 ₺33.44

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.41 ₺1,407

$53.4 ₺2,469

-43.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.77

$1.09 ₺50.5

-3.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ₺7.42

$0.64 ₺29.48

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 ₺356

$9.01 ₺417

-14.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺54.4

$1.15 ₺53.3

2.61%

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

$43.2K ₺2.0M

$46.6K ₺2.2M

-7.21%

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

$43.9K ₺2.0M

$43.8K ₺2.0M

0.31%

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

$62.3 ₺2,883

$71.7 ₺3,315

-13.03%

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

$10.98 ₺508

$12.49 ₺578

-12.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.80 ₺592

$15.04 ₺696

-14.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.77 ₺2,025

$60.2 ₺2,786

-27.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ₺851

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 ₺270

$7.66 ₺355

-23.89%

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

$603 ₺27.9K

$935 ₺43.2K

-35.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,996 ₺416.2K

$17.8K ₺824.6K

-49.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 ₺2,413

$55.9 ₺2,585

-6.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₺2,054

$46.37 ₺2,145

-4.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₺4,826

$115 ₺5,304

-9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 ₺4,159

$106 ₺4,884

-14.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 ₺23.9K

$961 ₺44.4K

-46.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ₺18.2K

$617 ₺28.6K

-36.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 ₺41.6K

$1,739 ₺80.4K

-48.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₺32.6K

$1,028 ₺47.5K

-31.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,406 ₺65.0K

$3,097 ₺143.3K

-54.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,023 ₺47.3K

$1,664 ₺77.0K

-38.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$893 ₺41.3K

$1,170 ₺54.1K

-23.67%

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 9, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Giresun and $961 in Istanbul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 31% 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 $229 vs $251 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 38% in total monthly costs ($1,055 vs $1,452 including rent). Giresun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Istanbul earns 31% 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: $517 in Giresun versus $961 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 $1,055 per month in Giresun versus $1,452 in Istanbul – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,055 in Giresun versus $1,452 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 38% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.