Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Aksaray Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Aksaray

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,538 per month in Istanbul vs $930 in Aksaray, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $1,447 in Aksaray, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,241 per month in Istanbul vs $1,964 in Aksaray, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 65% more than Aksaray, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Aksaray is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 ₺498

$6.09 ₺295

68.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₺2,514

$24.89 ₺1,205

108.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 ₺443

$7.06 ₺342

29.60%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₺203

$3.00 ₺145

40.00%

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

$1.68 ₺81.6

$1.16 ₺56.0

44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.68

$0.36 ₺17.24

63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ₺198

$2.29 ₺111

78.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 ₺292

$3.89 ₺188

55.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.3

$1.00 ₺48.26

22.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.76

$0.91 ₺44.23

3.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ₺115

$1.85 ₺89.6

28.11%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺119

$1.78 ₺86.4

37.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 ₺523

$6.16 ₺298

75.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺261

$3.27 ₺158

64.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.07 ₺1,021

$21.32 ₺1,033

-1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺95.6

$2.11 ₺102

-6.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ₺110

$1.85 ₺89.5

22.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ₺56.7

$1.16 ₺56.1

0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 ₺94.1

$1.14 ₺55.0

70.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₺30.27

$0.39 ₺18.76

61.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₺27.27

$0.34 ₺16.64

64.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺52.8

$0.89 ₺42.97

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺30.20

$0.22 ₺10.66

181.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺113

$2.04 ₺98.9

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 ₺664

$14.73 ₺714

-6.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₺117

$1.99 ₺96.4

22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₺162

$2.47 ₺120

35.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.11

$0.71 ₺34.63

25.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.7 ₺3,325

$38.10 ₺1,845

80.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₺66.5

$0.81 ₺39.32

69.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 ₺43.07

$0.80 ₺38.92

11.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺526

$5.47 ₺265

98.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₺66.1

$1.28 ₺61.8

7.03%

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

$52.1K ₺2.5M

$42.4K ₺2.1M

22.93%

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

$43.6K ₺2.1M

$39.9K ₺1.9M

9.45%

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

$90.0 ₺4,360

$60.6 ₺2,935

48.55%

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

$11.49 ₺556

$7.71 ₺373

49.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.30 ₺789

$14.01 ₺679

16.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₺3,460

$52.6 ₺2,545

35.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 ₺1,120

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 ₺392

$3.07 ₺149

163.52%

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

$989 ₺47.9K

$314 ₺15.2K

214.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K ₺1.3M

$13.7K ₺661.7K

102.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ₺2,597

$32.01 ₺1,550

67.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 ₺1,959

$24.00 ₺1,162

68.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,890

$83.7 ₺4,051

20.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ₺4,510

$79.1 ₺3,833

17.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ₺47.2K

$420 ₺20.4K

131.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₺31.1K

$308 ₺14.9K

108.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 ₺93.2K

$769 ₺37.3K

150.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 ₺57.1K

$574 ₺27.8K

105.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,080 ₺149.2K

$1,270 ₺61.5K

142.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,690 ₺81.9K

$1,045 ₺50.6K

61.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,219 ₺59.0K

$818 ₺39.6K

48.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

-12.57%

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

Last update for Istanbul: August 31, 2026

Last update for Aksaray: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 in Istanbul versus $420 in Aksaray. 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 49% higher in Istanbul, 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $25.00 in Aksaray. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $217 – making Aksaray the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Aksaray: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,538 in Istanbul, $930 in Aksaray – roughly 65% apart. Istanbul costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,307 per month in Istanbul and $1,395 in Aksaray. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Istanbul and $25.00 in Aksaray. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,538 in Istanbul and $930 in Aksaray. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aksaray, where all-in costs run around $930, than in Istanbul at $1,538. In Aksaray it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $930 in Aksaray to $1,538 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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