Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Akersberga

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,881 in Akersberga, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
92

Cost of Living Index in Akersberga
Learn more

Akersberga Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Akersberga

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,881

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Akersberga

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,881 in Akersberga.

Istanbul $1,550
Akersberga $1,881

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $2,882 in Akersberga.

Istanbul $2,415
Akersberga $2,882

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $3,883 in Akersberga.

Istanbul $3,281
Akersberga $3,883

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 18% less than in Akersberga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 15% above, Akersberga 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$17.87 SEK 177

-31.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$64.3 SEK 637

-14.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$10.10 SEK 100

-8.71%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.34 SEK 42.99

1.38%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.56 SEK 25.32

-34.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$2.14 SEK 21.17

-72.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$8.06 SEK 79.9

-41.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$6.79 SEK 67.3

-12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.77 SEK 17.59

-31.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$3.09 SEK 30.63

-71.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$3.69 SEK 36.61

-40.65%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$5.18 SEK 51.4

-54.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$12.55 SEK 124

-16.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$12.63 SEK 125

-55.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$16.85 SEK 167

24.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.12 SEK 30.89

-39.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.69 SEK 26.69

-14.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$3.13 SEK 31.06

-59.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$4.34 SEK 42.97

-58.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.46 SEK 14.46

-55.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.70 SEK 16.89

-62.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.28 SEK 22.60

-45.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.81 SEK 17.92

-69.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$7.18 SEK 71.1

-66.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$9.68 SEK 95.9

38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.94 SEK 19.23

23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.19 SEK 21.70

58.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$3.25 SEK 32.23

-72.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$76.0 SEK 753

-11.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$6.05 SEK 59.9

-78.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.50 SEK 14.88

-38.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$55.4 SEK 549

-80.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.76 SEK 17.44

-16.48%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$32.9K SEK 326.3K

54.23%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$32.2K SEK 319.2K

38.22%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$176 SEK 1,744

-49.67%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$21.12 SEK 209

-45.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$39.31 SEK 390

-59.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$37.99 SEK 376

103.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$25.64 SEK 254

-11.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$15.95 SEK 158

-48.97%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$155 SEK 1,539

548.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$4,902 SEK 48.6K

421.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$96.3 SEK 954

-43.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$53.6 SEK 531

-23.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$95.3 SEK 944

3.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$187 SEK 1,852

-48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$812 SEK 8,046

21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$606 SEK 6,006

7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,319 SEK 13.1K

50.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,030 SEK 10.2K

14.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$4,001 SEK 39.6K

-21.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,845 SEK 28.2K

-37.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$3,255 SEK 32.2K

-62.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

2.8

1361.43%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Akersberga: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Akersberga

$606 32.2% 6.7% $44

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Akersberga

$374 19.9% 43.8% $114

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Akersberga

$298 15.8% 33.4% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Akersberga

$194 10.3% 48.8% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Akersberga

$236 12.6% 104% $120

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Akersberga

$70 3.7% 25.2% $24

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Akersberga

$103 5.5% 33.4% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $812 in Akersberga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akersberga pays 170% 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: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $64.0 in Akersberga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $374 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇪 Akersberga

🕒 Local time

20:22 8:22 PM

19:22 7:22 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

32,659

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Akersberga 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Akersberga

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 Akersberga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Akersberga. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Istanbul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 170% lower in Akersberga. 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: $985 in Istanbul versus $812 in Akersberga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $1,881 in Akersberga – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Istanbul runs roughly 13% less than in Akersberga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,881 in Akersberga, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Akersberga. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Akersberga 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 Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Akersberga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.