Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Albania

Name: Albania
Address: AL

For one person, living is cheaper in Albania: $1,190 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Albania
Learn more

Albania Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

🇦🇱 Albania

$1,190

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: Istanbul is 13.2% more expensive than Albania without rent, and 28.2% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Istanbul is 11.7% more expensive than Albania without rent, and 29.1% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$9.85 ALL 802

20.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$43.07 ALL 3,504

27.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$8.66 ALL 704

5.54%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$2.09 ALL 170

102.87%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$2.11 ALL 171

-17.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.95 ALL 77.1

-43.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$2.79 ALL 227

68.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$3.57 ALL 291

67.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$2.17 ALL 177

-41.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$1.07 ALL 86.7

-11.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.32 ALL 189

-0.43%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$3.61 ALL 294

-31.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$12.31 ALL 1,002

-14.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$8.67 ALL 706

-35.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$15.27 ALL 1,242

38.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$1.62 ALL 132

19.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.36 ALL 192

-2.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.73 ALL 141

-26.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$1.71 ALL 139

7.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$1.01 ALL 82.5

-33.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.16 ALL 94.4

-49.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$1.24 ALL 101

7.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$0.77 ALL 62.9

-23.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$4.69 ALL 381

-49.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$9.95 ALL 810

35.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.55 ALL 126

56.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$2.05 ALL 167

72.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$0.51 ALL 41.20

62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$19.23 ALL 1,565

245.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$3.62 ALL 294

-62.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$3.58 ALL 291

-76.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$18.23 ALL 1,484

-40.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$2.26 ALL 184

-34.96%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$34.3K ALL 2.8M

50.59%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$31.5K ALL 2.6M

41.19%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$92.0 ALL 7,485

-3.02%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$18.44 ALL 1,500

-37.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$18.82 ALL 1,531

-14.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$49.88 ALL 4,058

54.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$23.17 ALL 1,885

-2.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$9.43 ALL 767

-11.56%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$275 ALL 22.4K

254.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$6,342 ALL 516.0K

306.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$62.3 ALL 5,069

-15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$46.50 ALL 3,783

-15.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$111 ALL 8,991

-6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$120 ALL 9,756

-19.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$547 ALL 44.5K

81.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$360 ALL 29.3K

74.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$948 ALL 77.1K

113.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$601 ALL 48.9K

92.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$2,774 ALL 225.7K

13.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$1,654 ALL 134.6K

11.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$731 ALL 59.5K

64.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

5.32

672.37%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Albania: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Albania

$360 30.3% 42.9% $270

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Albania

$271 22.8% 2.8% $7.3

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Albania

$163 13.7% 25.1% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Albania

$153 12.9% 16.3% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Albania

$129 10.9% 10.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Albania

$69 5.8% 26.8% $25

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Albania

$43 3.6% 43.2% $33

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇦🇱 Albania

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

09:55 9:55 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

2,811,655

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 ALL = 1.23 USD

100 ALL = 1.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 81.36 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 91.25 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Albania 770 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Albania

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

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