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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,431 per month in Istanbul vs $1,070 in Artvin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,191 per month in Istanbul vs $1,661 in Artvin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,952 per month in Istanbul vs $2,251 in Artvin, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 34% more than Artvin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 7% above the global median, while Artvin is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 ₺520

$7.47 ₺337

54.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,304

$30.43 ₺1,374

67.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 ₺343

$7.81 ₺352

-2.69%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ₺164

$2.82 ₺127

28.72%

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

$1.35 ₺61.1

$1.31 ₺58.9

3.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.13

$0.47 ₺21.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 ₺177

$3.51 ₺159

11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺235

$3.98 ₺180

30.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.69

$0.96 ₺43.45

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.38

$0.78 ₺35.08

6.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₺102

$2.30 ₺104

-1.74%

Eggs

$2.71 ₺122

$1.87 ₺84.6

44.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ₺472

$9.66 ₺436

8.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₺297

$5.51 ₺249

19.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 ₺906

$19.50 ₺880

2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ₺65.2

$1.30 ₺58.7

10.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$2.07 ₺93.7

10.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺58.4

$1.10 ₺49.80

17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺73.5

$1.28 ₺57.6

27.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.24

$0.69 ₺30.95

2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.08

$0.64 ₺29.09

14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₺52.6

$0.91 ₺40.85

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺26.48

$0.53 ₺23.78

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺96.9

$2.20 ₺99.1

-2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 ₺541

$10.73 ₺484

11.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺97.0

$2.08 ₺93.9

3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₺136

$3.04 ₺137

-0.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺32.32

$0.63 ₺28.62

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 ₺2,396

$30.74 ₺1,387

72.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺49.28

$1.08 ₺48.79

0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺28.73

$0.66 ₺29.70

-3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₺395

$7.40 ₺334

18.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.21 ₺54.8

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

$44.8K ₺2.0M

$43.7K ₺2.0M

2.54%

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

$43.2K ₺1.9M

$42.9K ₺1.9M

0.73%

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

$71.4 ₺3,221

$62.6 ₺2,824

14.07%

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

$12.44 ₺562

$10.88 ₺491

14.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.58 ₺658

$13.01 ₺587

12.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 ₺2,818

$42.70 ₺1,928

46.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.58 ₺839

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₺342

$5.79 ₺261

30.74%

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

$950 ₺42.9K

$614 ₺27.7K

54.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ₺814.5K

$8,786 ₺396.6K

105.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₺2,572

$51.7 ₺2,336

10.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 ₺2,096

$45.87 ₺2,071

1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₺5,108

$104 ₺4,695

8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₺4,869

$91.4 ₺4,127

17.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ₺44.3K

$516 ₺23.3K

90.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₺28.5K

$395 ₺17.8K

59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 ₺79.8K

$897 ₺40.5K

97.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₺47.7K

$705 ₺31.8K

49.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,300 ₺149.0K

$1,156 ₺52.2K

185.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,659 ₺74.9K

$988 ₺44.6K

67.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,198 ₺54.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Artvin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Istanbul versus $516 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 $30.00 in Artvin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $230 – 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 34%, 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 $2,146 per month in Istanbul and $1,606 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 $51.0 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 $1,070, than in Istanbul at $1,431. 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.