Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Alassio

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,525 a month against $1,759 in Alassio, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,525
/mo nomad
Alassio
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,759
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Alassio

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $1,759 in Alassio, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,525
  • Alassio $1,759

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $2,744 in Alassio, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,390
  • Alassio $2,744

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $3,729 in Alassio, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,256
  • Alassio $3,729

Istanbul is about 13% cheaper than Alassio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Istanbul and Alassio sit above the global median – Istanbul by 13%, Alassio by 30%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 ₺592
$22.00 €19.57
-45.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 ₺2,834
$89.1 €79.2
-35.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.51 ₺471
$13.34 €11.87
-28.71%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$2.13 €1.89
106.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₺86.6
$2.28 €2.03
-23.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.57
$1.10 €0.98
-49.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.71 ₺233
$6.76 €6.01
-30.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.14 ₺304
$6.59 €5.86
-6.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ₺61.6
$1.64 €1.46
-24.39%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 ₺47.25
$1.15 €1.02
-17.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 ₺113
$1.09 €0.97
109.17%
Eggs
$2.45 ₺121
$3.97 €3.53
-38.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.56 ₺523
$23.15 €20.59
-54.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.50 ₺272
$13.19 €11.73
-58.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.65 ₺1,072
$22.10 €19.66
-2.04%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 ₺90.6
$3.09 €2.75
-40.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 ₺113
$2.31 €2.06
-0.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.4
$2.26 €2.01
-43.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.82 ₺90.1
$1.14 €1.02
59.65%
Potato (1kg)
$0.66 ₺32.74
$1.13 €1.01
-41.59%
Onion (1kg)
$0.63 ₺31.14
$0.59 €0.52
6.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ₺62.8
$1.10 €0.97
15.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.62
$0.57 €0.51
-1.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 ₺117
$6.56 €5.83
-64.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.98 ₺642
$9.07 €8.07
43.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.48 ₺123
$2.00 €1.78
24.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ₺174
$2.27 €2.02
54.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.82 ₺40.77
$1.64 €1.46
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.2 ₺3,228
$42.36 €37.68
53.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.33 ₺65.7
$7.82 €6.96
-82.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 ₺44.60
$1.69 €1.51
-46.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.91 ₺540
$22.61 €20.11
-51.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ₺70.7
$1.99 €1.77
-28.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.6K ₺2.5M
$36.7K €32.7K
35.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.2K ₺2.1M
$33.7K €30.0K
27.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₺4,395
$165 €147
-46.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.69 ₺579
$9.98 €8.88
17.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.09 ₺797
$28.00 €24.90
-42.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.3 ₺3,776
$56.0 €49.82
36.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.72 ₺1,125
$23.36 €20.78
-2.74%
Cinema Ticket
$8.26 ₺409
$12.46 €11.08
-33.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,015 ₺50.2K
$844 €751
20.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K ₺1.3M
$18.6K €16.5K
38.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ₺2,636
$101 €89.9
-47.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.55 ₺2,008
$50.2 €44.69
-19.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 ₺4,956
$118 €105
-14.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.5 ₺4,630
$165 €147
-43.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 ₺48.4K
$729 €648
34.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$627 ₺31.0K
$570 €507
9.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,980 ₺98.0K
$1,160 €1,032
70.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,147 ₺56.8K
$891 €792
28.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,095 ₺153.2K
$2,893 €2,573
6.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,787 ₺88.5K
$2,007 €1,785
-10.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Alassio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,213 ₺60.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.69
3.18
1179.56%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Alassio: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$627
Alassio
$570 9% $57
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$263
Alassio
$342 30.4% $80
Eating Out
Istanbul
$222
Alassio
$302 36% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Alassio
$195 51.1% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$117
Alassio
$203 74.1% $86
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Alassio
$81 12.8% $12
Getting Around
Istanbul
$74
Alassio
$65 12.3% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $729 in Alassio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Istanbul versus $89.0 in Alassio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $342 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇮🇹 Alassio
🕒 Local time
17:19 5:19 PM
16:19 4:19 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
10,934
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Alassio 1,730 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Alassio

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 Alassio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Istanbul and in Alassio compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,525 in Istanbul, $1,759 in Alassio – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Istanbul compared to Alassio?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $2,639 in Alassio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Istanbul and Alassio?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Istanbul and $89.0 in Alassio. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Istanbul or Alassio?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,525 in Istanbul and $1,759 in Alassio. That's a gap of about 15%.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,525, than in Alassio at $1,759. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alassio it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Istanbul and Alassio?
It depends on your priorities. Alassio has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,525 in Istanbul to $1,759 in Alassio. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Istanbul or Alassio safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Istanbul and Alassio?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alassio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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