Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Artvin Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Artvin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,470 per month in Istanbul vs $1,087 in Artvin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,264 per month in Istanbul vs $1,680 in Artvin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,058 per month in Istanbul vs $2,273 in Artvin, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 35% more than Artvin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 10% above the global median, while Artvin is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 ₺528

$7.84 ₺364

45.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.8 ₺2,402

$29.97 ₺1,391

72.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 ₺349

$7.78 ₺361

-3.47%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₺165

$2.92 ₺136

21.58%

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

$1.31 ₺60.7

$1.23 ₺57.2

6.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.66

$0.43 ₺20.02

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.87 ₺180

$3.47 ₺161

11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 ₺232

$3.97 ₺184

26.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₺51.7

$1.03 ₺47.63

7.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 ₺35.70

$0.77 ₺35.84

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺102

$2.27 ₺106

-2.64%

Eggs

$2.72 ₺126

$1.95 ₺90.4

39.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ₺471

$9.65 ₺448

5.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 ₺310

$5.66 ₺263

18.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.26 ₺940

$19.57 ₺908

3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ₺67.4

$1.23 ₺57.3

17.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺107

$2.17 ₺100

5.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 ₺62.1

$1.10 ₺51.1

21.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺75.5

$1.31 ₺61.0

24.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺33.10

$0.74 ₺34.12

-4.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₺33.44

$0.65 ₺30.19

10.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₺52.9

$0.85 ₺39.30

34.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺27.09

$0.50 ₺23.19

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₺101

$2.17 ₺101

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ₺564

$10.39 ₺482

16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₺103

$2.15 ₺99.8

3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₺141

$3.07 ₺143

-0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 ₺31.47

$0.67 ₺31.00

1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ₺2,538

$30.25 ₺1,404

80.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺50.5

$1.05 ₺48.85

3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₺29.08

$0.60 ₺27.93

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 ₺401

$7.42 ₺345

16.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₺55.9

$1.21 ₺56.4

-0.83%

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

$46.6K ₺2.2M

$43.9K ₺2.0M

6.17%

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

$43.0K ₺2.0M

-0.11%

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

$73.1 ₺3,393

$61.3 ₺2,844

19.34%

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

$12.17 ₺565

$10.77 ₺500

13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.81 ₺687

$12.60 ₺585

17.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₺2,798

$42.72 ₺1,983

41.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.55 ₺861

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 ₺350

$5.78 ₺268

30.62%

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

$947 ₺43.9K

$614 ₺28.5K

54.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K ₺838.8K

$8,813 ₺409.0K

105.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 ₺2,563

$52.1 ₺2,417

6.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 ₺2,157

$45.73 ₺2,123

1.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₺5,225

$103 ₺4,766

9.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₺4,956

$90.1 ₺4,184

18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 ₺45.5K

$514 ₺23.8K

90.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 ₺28.2K

$398 ₺18.5K

52.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺82.2K

$898 ₺41.7K

97.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 ₺49.4K

$705 ₺32.7K

50.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,175 ₺147.4K

$1,169 ₺54.3K

171.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 ₺78.8K

$875 ₺40.6K

94.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,188 ₺55.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

36.83

31.50%

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

Last update for Istanbul: June 14, 2026

Last update for Artvin: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Istanbul versus $514 in Artvin. 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 $30.00 in Artvin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $232 – making Artvin 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 Artvin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,205 per month in Istanbul and $1,630 in Artvin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Istanbul and $30.00 in Artvin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Artvin, where all-in costs run around $1,087, than in Istanbul at $1,470. In Artvin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Artvin – 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 Artvin. 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.