Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Aarau

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,794 in Aarau, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
135

Cost of Living Index in Aarau
Learn more

Aarau Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Aarau

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,794

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Aarau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Istanbul and in Aarau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $2,794 in Aarau, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Aarau $2,794

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $4,568 in Aarau, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Aarau $4,568

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $6,342 in Aarau, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Aarau $6,342

Istanbul is about 45% cheaper than Aarau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Aarau sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Aarau by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$29.07 CHF 23.94

-57.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$106 CHF 87.6

-48.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$17.63 CHF 14.52

-47.70%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$5.80 CHF 4.78

-24.14%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$5.22 CHF 4.30

-67.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$4.70 CHF 3.87

-87.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$6.15 CHF 5.06

-23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$6.60 CHF 5.44

-10.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$2.05 CHF 1.69

-40.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$3.62 CHF 2.98

-75.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.59 CHF 2.13

-15.44%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$7.22 CHF 5.95

-67.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$30.30 CHF 24.96

-65.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$29.34 CHF 24.16

-80.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$40.30 CHF 33.19

-48.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.89 CHF 2.38

-34.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.78 CHF 1.46

29.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.44 CHF 2.01

-47.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$5.50 CHF 4.53

-67.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.66 CHF 1.37

-60.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.96 CHF 1.61

-67.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.28 CHF 1.87

-45.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.19 CHF 0.98

-52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$10.86 CHF 8.94

-78.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$10.21 CHF 8.41

31.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.49 CHF 2.05

-3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.86 CHF 2.36

21.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$5.11 CHF 4.20

-82.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$146 CHF 120

-53.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$6.84 CHF 5.64

-81.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$3.32 CHF 2.74

-72.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$58.8 CHF 48.45

-81.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.22 CHF 1.83

-33.78%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$42.9K CHF 35.4K

18.31%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$39.3K CHF 32.4K

13.36%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$120 CHF 98.9

-26.22%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$30.84 CHF 25.40

-62.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$55.7 CHF 45.84

-71.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$97.9 CHF 80.6

-21.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$59.6 CHF 49.04

-61.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$21.42 CHF 17.64

-62.00%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$3,152 CHF 2,596

-68.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$32.4K CHF 26.7K

-21.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$88.7 CHF 73.0

-39.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$70.6 CHF 58.2

-42.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$109 CHF 90.1

-9.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$169 CHF 140

-42.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,277 CHF 1,052

-22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$1,033 CHF 851

-37.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$2,290 CHF 1,886

-13.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$2,114 CHF 1,742

-44.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$11.8K CHF 9,759

-84.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$6,801 CHF 5,601

-82.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

2.31

1671.43%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Aarau: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Aarau

$1K 37% 59% $383

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Aarau

$588 21% 126% $328

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Aarau

$439 15.7% 96.5% $215

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Aarau

$197 7.1% 51% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Aarau

$207 7.4% 78.1% $91

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Aarau

$141 5% 50.6% $47

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Aarau

$190 6.8% 147% $113

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,277 in Aarau. 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 464% higher in Aarau, 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $106 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $588 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇨🇭 Aarau

🕒 Local time

03:04 3:04 AM

02:04 2:04 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

21,191

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

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).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Aarau 1,810 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Aarau

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

Istanbul vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarau costs about 80% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $4,191 in Aarau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 117% less in Istanbul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $3,152 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Aarau at $2,794. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Istanbul costs $1,550 versus $2,794 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.