Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gozo and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,801 in Gozo, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gozo
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,801
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,801 in Gozo versus $1,550 in Istanbul.

  • Gozo $1,801
  • Istanbul $1,550

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,747 in Gozo versus $2,415 in Istanbul.

  • Gozo $2,747
  • Istanbul $2,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Gozo versus $3,281 in Istanbul.

  • Gozo $3,694
  • Istanbul $3,281

Living in Gozo is roughly 16% more expensive than in Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gozo 33% above, Istanbul 15% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.99 €27.57
$12.30 ₺609
151.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$95.8 €85.2
$54.7 ₺2,708
75.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.03 €9.81
$9.22 ₺456
19.63%
Cappuccino
$2.86 €2.55
$4.40 ₺218
-35.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.68 ₺83.1
41.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.18
$0.59 ₺29.40
123.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.30 €2.94
$4.70 ₺233
-29.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 €4.14
$5.91 ₺292
-21.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.06
$1.21 ₺60.0
-1.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 €1.04
$0.89 ₺44.10
31.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.19 ₺108
27.85%
Eggs
$2.86 €2.55
$2.35 ₺116
21.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 €9.07
$10.42 ₺516
-2.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.81 €6.94
$5.65 ₺280
38.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.33 €16.30
$20.94 ₺1,037
-12.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 €2.40
$1.90 ₺94.1
42.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 €2.06
$2.31 ₺114
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 €2.26
$1.28 ₺63.1
99.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.80 ₺89.0
-14.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$0.65 ₺32.16
186.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$0.64 ₺31.91
120.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.25 ₺62.1
13.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 €0.93
$0.56 ₺27.58
87.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.22 €5.53
$2.37 ₺118
162.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.24 €2.88
$13.42 ₺664
-75.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.33
$2.40 ₺119
-37.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 €1.03
$3.48 ₺172
-66.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.84 €2.53
$0.89 ₺43.84
219.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$67.4 ₺3,338
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$1.29 ₺64.1
209.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 €1.60
$0.92 ₺45.70
95.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.01 €29.36
$10.96 ₺542
201.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.47 ₺72.9
0.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-44.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K €34.7K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-12.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.1 €83.7
$88.6 ₺4,387
6.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.19 €27.74
$11.59 ₺574
169.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.57 €26.31
$15.81 ₺783
87.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 €44.78
$77.2 ₺3,820
-34.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 €9.92
$8.14 ₺403
36.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$282 €251
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-72.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K €10.8K
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-52.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 €51.1
$54.0 ₺2,671
6.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.45 €43.98
$40.83 ₺2,021
21.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.4 €57.2
$98.9 ₺4,895
-34.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €118
$96.6 ₺4,783
36.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$917 €815
$985 ₺48.7K
-6.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$797 €709
$650 ₺32.2K
22.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,382 €1,229
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-30.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,161 €1,033
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-1.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 €3,869
$3,138 ₺155.4K
38.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,948 €3,512
$1,780 ₺88.1K
121.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gozo
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,287 €1,145
$1,205 ₺59.7K
6.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.78
40.92
-90.76%

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

Last update for Gozo: 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
Gozo
$797
Istanbul
$650 18.5% $148
Eating Out
Gozo
$356
Istanbul
$223 37.3% $133
Groceries & Markets
Gozo
$259
Istanbul
$260 0.3% $0.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gozo
$155
Istanbul
$116 25.1% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Gozo
$137
Istanbul
$131 4.3% $5.9
Sport & Entertainment
Gozo
$73
Istanbul
$93 28.6% $21
Getting Around
Gozo
$24 *
Istanbul
$77 216% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $917 in Gozo and $985 in Istanbul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gozo pays 7% 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: $96.0 in Gozo vs $55.0 in Istanbul. Groceries flip the comparison at $259 vs $260, with Gozo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Gozo
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
20:10 8:10 PM
21:10 9:10 PM
1 h ahead of Gozo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,680
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 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
  • Gozo Istanbul 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Gozo
  • 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
Gozo vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gozo or Istanbul?
Istanbul wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Gozo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Istanbul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gozo or in Istanbul?
Average pay runs 7% higher in Gozo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gozo compared to Istanbul?
Rent for a central apartment: $917 in Gozo versus $985 in Istanbul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Gozo or in Istanbul?
Shoppers in Gozo pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Gozo compared to Istanbul?
All in, you'll spend $1,801 per month in Gozo versus $1,550 in Istanbul – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Gozo or in Istanbul?
At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,801 in Gozo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Gozo. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gozo or Istanbul?
Both work as nomad bases, but Istanbul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,550 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Istanbul hard to pass up.
How safe is Gozo compared to Istanbul?
Safety-wise, Gozo 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Gozo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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