Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Amasya Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Amasya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Istanbul vs $1,122 in Amasya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Istanbul vs $1,695 in Amasya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,970 per month in Istanbul vs $2,268 in Amasya, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 31% more than Amasya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Istanbul sits 10% above the global median, while Amasya is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 ₺534

$9.62 ₺442

20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₺2,370

$16.44 ₺755

213.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₺345

$9.00 ₺414

-16.44%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₺159

$3.28 ₺151

5.18%

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

$1.30 ₺59.9

$1.21 ₺55.8

7.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺21.33

$0.39 ₺17.78

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₺172

$3.22 ₺148

16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₺228

$3.89 ₺179

27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺48.91

$0.94 ₺43.09

12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.97

$0.66 ₺30.30

25.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₺104

$2.34 ₺107

-2.99%

Eggs

$2.63 ₺121

$2.32 ₺107

13.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₺466

$9.60 ₺441

5.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ₺298

$5.85 ₺269

11.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 ₺897

$19.28 ₺886

1.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.1

$1.46 ₺67.3

2.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺105

$2.40 ₺110

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.2

$1.32 ₺60.5

-2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺74.9

$1.52 ₺70.1

7.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.71

$0.70 ₺32.06

1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.53

$0.56 ₺25.93

30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺51.8

$1.12 ₺51.5

0.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺26.28

$0.40 ₺18.32

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺98.7

$2.14 ₺98.4

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ₺558

$10.82 ₺497

12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺98.3

$2.12 ₺97.4

0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₺146

$3.14 ₺144

1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.25

$0.66 ₺30.35

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ₺2,514

$30.11 ₺1,383

81.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.42

$0.93 ₺42.73

12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺26.73

$0.61 ₺27.90

-4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₺411

$6.41 ₺294

39.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺55.6

$1.17 ₺53.8

3.42%

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

$45.1K ₺2.1M

$43.0K ₺2.0M

4.96%

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

$43.3K ₺2.0M

$43.5K ₺2.0M

-0.31%

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

$73.2 ₺3,362

$87.1 ₺4,002

-15.98%

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

$12.25 ₺563

$10.69 ₺491

14.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.15 ₺696

$13.75 ₺632

10.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₺2,837

$42.97 ₺1,974

43.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 ₺862

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 ₺355

$6.20 ₺285

24.68%

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

$938 ₺43.1K

$600 ₺27.6K

56.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺839.3K

$13.7K ₺627.3K

33.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,568

$57.7 ₺2,649

-3.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.45 ₺2,180

$44.89 ₺2,063

5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,265

$107 ₺4,897

7.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,865

$97.6 ₺4,485

8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₺43.6K

$520 ₺23.9K

82.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₺28.5K

$396 ₺18.2K

56.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺81.4K

$900 ₺41.3K

96.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₺48.1K

$709 ₺32.6K

47.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,147 ₺144.6K

$1,310 ₺60.2K

140.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺76.5K

$936 ₺43.0K

77.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺55.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

61.43%

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

Last update for Istanbul: May 31, 2026

Last update for Amasya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Istanbul versus $520 in Amasya. 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $16.00 in Amasya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $236 – making Amasya 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 Amasya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,207 per month in Istanbul and $1,684 in Amasya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,472 in Istanbul and $1,122 in Amasya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% less in Amasya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Amasya, where all-in costs run around $1,122, than in Istanbul at $1,472. In Amasya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Amasya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Amasya. 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.