Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Ajaccio

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,869 in Ajaccio, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Ajaccio
🇫🇷 France
$1,869
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Ajaccio

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 Ajaccio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,869 in Ajaccio, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Ajaccio $1,869

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,880 in Ajaccio, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Ajaccio $2,880

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $3,890 in Ajaccio, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Ajaccio $3,890

Istanbul is about 17% cheaper than Ajaccio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Ajaccio sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Ajaccio by 38%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$16.89 €15.03
-27.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$67.1 €59.7
-18.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$14.20 €12.63
-35.07%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$3.62 €3.22
21.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$3.09 €2.75
-45.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$1.88 €1.67
-68.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$7.28 €6.48
-35.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$5.66 €5.04
4.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.92 €1.70
-36.98%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.83 €1.62
-51.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$2.49 €2.21
-12.05%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$4.15 €3.69
-43.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$19.03 €16.93
-45.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$12.56 €11.17
-55.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$21.78 €19.37
-3.86%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$3.00 €2.67
-36.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$2.84 €2.52
-18.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$2.87 €2.56
-55.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$3.15 €2.80
-42.86%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$1.86 €1.66
-65.05%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$2.28 €2.03
-71.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.40 €1.24
-10.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.74 €0.65
-24.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$12.93 €11.50
-81.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$7.79 €6.93
72.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$2.99 €2.66
-19.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$3.45 €3.07
0.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$2.08 €1.85
-57.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$48.49 €43.13
39.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$5.49 €4.88
-76.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$2.04 €1.82
-54.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$37.61 €33.45
-70.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$2.07 €1.84
-28.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$31.9K €28.4K
59.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$30.1K €26.8K
48.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$205 €182
-56.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$15.82 €14.07
-26.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$31.77 €28.26
-50.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$36.16 €32.16
113.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$13.51 €12.02
-39.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$834 €742
20.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$9,243 €8,221
176.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$138 €123
-60.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$41.55 €36.95
-1.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$143 €128
-31.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$115 €102
-15.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$711 €633
38.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$624 €555
4.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$1,152 €1,024
72.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$1,126 €1,002
4.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$3,978 €3,538
-21.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$2,957 €2,630
-39.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Ajaccio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$3,155 €2,806
-61.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
3.79
979.68%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ajaccio: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Ajaccio
$624 3.9% $26
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Ajaccio
$370 42.7% $111
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Ajaccio
$289 29.3% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Ajaccio
$197 50.8% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Ajaccio
$253 118% $137
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Ajaccio
$63 32.4% $30
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Ajaccio
$73 5.7% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $711 in Ajaccio. 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 162% higher in Ajaccio, 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 $67.0 in Ajaccio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $370 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇫🇷 Ajaccio
🕒 Local time
00:38 12:38 AM
23:38 11:38 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
73,822
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Ajaccio 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Ajaccio

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 Ajaccio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Istanbul or Ajaccio?
Ajaccio costs about 21% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Istanbul and in Ajaccio?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $2,803 in Ajaccio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Istanbul or Ajaccio?
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.
How expensive is transport in Istanbul compared to Ajaccio?
Public transport costs about 39% less in Istanbul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Istanbul and in Ajaccio?
Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $834 in Ajaccio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Istanbul or in Ajaccio?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Ajaccio at $1,869. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajaccio it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Istanbul or Ajaccio?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Istanbul costs $1,550 versus $1,869 in Ajaccio. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Istanbul compared to Ajaccio?
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.
Should I move to Istanbul or to Ajaccio?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajaccio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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