Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Antalya Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Antalya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Istanbul vs $1,182 in Antalya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Istanbul vs $1,774 in Antalya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,970 per month in Istanbul vs $2,367 in Antalya, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 25% more than Antalya, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Istanbul sits 10% above the global median, while Antalya is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 ₺535

$9.24 ₺426

25.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₺2,375

$44.22 ₺2,036

16.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₺346

$9.16 ₺422

-17.90%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₺159

$3.42 ₺158

0.88%

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

$1.30 ₺60.1

$1.09 ₺50.4

19.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺21.38

$0.38 ₺17.70

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₺173

$3.74 ₺172

0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₺228

$3.84 ₺177

29.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺49.02

$1.01 ₺46.37

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺38.06

$0.86 ₺39.56

-3.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₺105

$2.32 ₺107

-2.16%

Eggs

$2.63 ₺121

$2.21 ₺102

19.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₺467

$10.92 ₺503

-7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ₺299

$6.24 ₺287

4.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 ₺899

$18.02 ₺830

8.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.2

$1.13 ₺51.8

32.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺105

$2.09 ₺96.4

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.3

$1.06 ₺48.82

21.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺75.1

$1.26 ₺58.1

29.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.78

$0.72 ₺33.01

-1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.60

$0.52 ₺24.16

40.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺51.9

$0.96 ₺44.28

17.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺26.34

$0.37 ₺16.83

54.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺99.0

$2.08 ₺95.9

3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ₺560

$8.97 ₺413

35.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺98.5

$2.15 ₺98.8

-0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₺146

$2.81 ₺130

13.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.33

$0.72 ₺33.14

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ₺2,520

$30.16 ₺1,389

81.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.53

$0.78 ₺35.92

34.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺26.79

$0.66 ₺30.31

-12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₺412

$5.69 ₺262

57.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺55.7

$1.24 ₺57.2

-2.42%

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

$45.1K ₺2.1M

$65.4K ₺3.0M

-30.92%

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

$43.3K ₺2.0M

$56.4K ₺2.6M

-23.20%

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

$73.2 ₺3,370

$73.1 ₺3,364

0.16%

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

$12.25 ₺564

$10.11 ₺465

21.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.15 ₺697

$13.69 ₺630

10.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₺2,843

$42.79 ₺1,971

44.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 ₺864

$13.38 ₺616

40.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 ₺356

$5.58 ₺257

38.53%

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

$938 ₺43.2K

$661 ₺30.4K

42.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺841.2K

$11.0K ₺505.3K

66.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,574

$57.1 ₺2,629

-2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.45 ₺2,185

$35.61 ₺1,640

33.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,277

$105 ₺4,842

8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,876

$80.8 ₺3,722

30.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₺43.7K

$615 ₺28.3K

54.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₺28.5K

$481 ₺22.1K

28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺81.5K

$1,015 ₺46.7K

74.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₺48.2K

$676 ₺31.1K

54.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,147 ₺144.9K

$2,397 ₺110.4K

31.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺76.6K

$1,342 ₺61.8K

24.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺55.4K

$937 ₺43.2K

28.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

30.12

60.79%

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

Last update for Istanbul: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antalya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Istanbul versus $615 in Antalya. 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 28% 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 $44.00 in Antalya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $229 – making Antalya 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 Antalya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,772 in Antalya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Antalya, 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 $1,182 in Antalya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Antalya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Antalya, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Istanbul at $1,472. In Antalya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Antalya – 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 Antalya. 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.