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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Istanbul vs $996 in Artvin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,338 per month in Istanbul vs $1,542 in Artvin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in Istanbul vs $2,089 in Artvin, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 50% more than Artvin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Artvin is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ₺493

$8.24 ₺401

23.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₺2,463

$34.19 ₺1,662

48.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 ₺442

$6.71 ₺326

35.47%

Cappuccino

$4.05 ₺197

$3.41 ₺166

18.77%

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

$1.74 ₺84.4

$1.03 ₺50.1

68.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺27.73

$0.42 ₺20.18

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 ₺197

$2.59 ₺126

56.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₺293

$4.00 ₺194

50.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.4

$1.01 ₺49.06

20.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.86

$0.99 ₺47.93

-5.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₺118

$2.43 ₺118

0.41%

Eggs

$2.46 ₺119

$2.27 ₺110

8.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₺501

$8.36 ₺406

23.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₺260

$4.15 ₺202

28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.09 ₺1,025

$21.35 ₺1,038

-1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺96.0

$1.91 ₺92.6

3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ₺109

$1.78 ₺86.5

25.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₺58.6

$1.02 ₺49.44

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ₺93.4

$1.40 ₺68.2

37.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₺28.68

$0.53 ₺25.55

11.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₺25.07

$0.35 ₺16.85

48.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺53.1

$0.93 ₺45.06

17.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.65

$0.68 ₺32.92

-13.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 ₺113

$2.23 ₺108

4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 ₺644

$8.91 ₺433

48.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺117

$1.83 ₺89.1

31.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₺165

$3.30 ₺161

2.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₺41.62

$0.63 ₺30.41

36.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 ₺3,302

$32.01 ₺1,556

112.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₺63.6

$1.49 ₺72.5

-12.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺44.93

$0.99 ₺48.28

-7.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.72 ₺521

$5.28 ₺257

103.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₺66.9

$1.27 ₺61.6

8.66%

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

$50.7K ₺2.5M

$42.8K ₺2.1M

18.35%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$37.3K ₺1.8M

18.90%

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

$88.6 ₺4,307

$61.7 ₺3,000

43.57%

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

$11.48 ₺558

$11.75 ₺571

-2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.51 ₺803

$11.72 ₺570

40.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 ₺3,364

$50.3 ₺2,444

37.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 ₺1,139

Cinema Ticket

$8.37 ₺407

$5.14 ₺250

62.84%

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

$978 ₺47.5K

$489 ₺23.8K

99.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K ₺1.4M

$11.5K ₺557.8K

144.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ₺2,627

$48.15 ₺2,340

12.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.94 ₺1,893

$43.08 ₺2,094

-9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,886

$93.3 ₺4,537

7.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ₺4,588

$69.4 ₺3,371

36.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₺48.2K

$398 ₺19.4K

148.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 ₺31.0K

$354 ₺17.2K

80.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 ₺94.6K

$722 ₺35.1K

169.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₺55.6K

$577 ₺28.1K

98.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 ₺144.8K

$1,355 ₺65.8K

119.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,694 ₺82.4K

$901 ₺43.8K

88.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 ₺58.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.26

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

Last update for Istanbul: September 5, 2026

Last update for Artvin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $991 in Istanbul versus $398 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 $51.0 in Istanbul versus $34.00 in Artvin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $228 – 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 50%, 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 $2,242 per month in Istanbul and $1,493 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 14% 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 $51.0 in Istanbul and $34.00 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 $996, than in Istanbul at $1,494. 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.