Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Andover

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,503 in Andover, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Andover
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,503
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Andover

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $2,503 in Andover.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Andover $2,503

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $3,471 in Andover.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Andover $3,471

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $4,440 in Andover.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Andover $4,440

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 38% less than in Andover, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 15% above, Andover 85% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$12.71 £9.53
-3.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$39.44 £29.59
38.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$10.45 £7.84
-11.77%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$4.53 £3.40
-2.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$1.92 £1.44
-12.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$1.48 £1.11
-60.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$4.37 £3.28
7.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$5.71 £4.28
3.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.70 £1.28
-28.82%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.58 £1.19
-43.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.89 £1.42
15.87%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$4.27 £3.21
-44.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$11.96 £8.97
-12.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$8.55 £6.41
-33.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$14.81 £11.11
41.39%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$3.45 £2.59
-44.93%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$1.70 £1.28
35.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$2.60 £1.95
-50.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$3.08 £2.31
-41.56%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$1.75 £1.31
-62.86%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$1.25 £0.94
-48.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.21 £0.91
3.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$1.66 £1.24
-66.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$21.98 £16.49
-89.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$11.07 £8.30
21.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$2.68 £2.01
-10.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.84 £1.38
89.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$3.27 £2.45
-72.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$47.60 £35.71
41.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$4.87 £3.66
-73.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$3.22 £2.42
-71.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$41.91 £31.44
-73.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$2.09 £1.57
-29.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$35.6K £26.7K
42.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$40.9K £30.7K
8.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$341 £256
-74.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$17.90 £13.43
-35.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$43.97 £32.98
-64.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$43.41 £32.56
77.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$9.27 £6.95
145.31%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$14.37 £10.78
-43.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$2,264 £1,698
-55.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$15.1K £11.3K
69.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$85.7 £64.3
-37.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$47.03 £35.29
-13.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$91.0 £68.3
8.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$62.4 £46.83
54.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$1,385 £1,039
-28.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$1,277 £958
-49.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$1,912 £1,435
3.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$2,040 £1,530
-42.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Andover
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$2,943 £2,208
-59.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
4.25
862.82%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Andover: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Andover
$1.3K 96.5% $627
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Andover
$305 17.6% $46
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Andover
$234 5% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Andover
$129 1.4% $1.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Andover
$403 248% $287
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Andover
$72 22.8% $21
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Andover
$82 6.2% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $1,385 in Andover. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Andover pays 144% 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 $39.00 in Andover. Groceries flip the comparison at $260 vs $305, with Istanbul cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇬🇧 Andover
🕒 Local time
15:32 3:32 PM
13:32 1:32 PM
2 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
37,851
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Andover 2,580 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Andover

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 Andover: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Istanbul and in Andover?
Istanbul and Andover differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,550 vs $2,503 including rent). Istanbul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 144% lower in Andover. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Istanbul and in Andover?
Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $1,385 in Andover. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Istanbul or Andover?
All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $2,503 in Andover – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Istanbul and in Andover?
A monthly transit pass in Istanbul runs roughly 42% less than in Andover. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $2,503 in Andover, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Andover. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Istanbul and Andover?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Istanbul or Andover safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Istanbul and Andover are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Istanbul or Andover?
Expats usually find Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Andover. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Istanbul vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?