Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Astrakhan

For one person, living is cheaper in Astrakhan: $146 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Astrakhan
Learn more

Astrakhan Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Astrakhan

🇷🇺 Russia

$146

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Astrakhan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,526 in Istanbul versus $146 in Astrakhan.

Istanbul $1,526
Astrakhan $146

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,399 in Istanbul versus $326 in Astrakhan.

Istanbul $2,399
Astrakhan $326

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,272 in Istanbul versus $506 in Astrakhan.

Istanbul $3,272
Astrakhan $506

Living in Istanbul is roughly 943% more expensive than in Astrakhan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 14% above, Astrakhan is 89% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$8.35 ₽711

42.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$41.20 ₽3,506

33.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$5.28 ₽449

73.11%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$2.63 ₽224

61.22%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$1.37 ₽117

27.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.80 ₽67.9

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$2.87 ₽244

63.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$4.49 ₽382

32.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$0.83 ₽70.5

77.11%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

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

$11.60 ₺572

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

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

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

116.26%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Astrakhan

$146 100% 32.9% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $41.00 in Astrakhan for two.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇷🇺 Astrakhan

🕒 Local time

16:45 4:45 PM

17:45 5:45 PM

1 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

524,371

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 RUB = 1.18 USD

100 RUB = 1.05 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 85.09 RUB (100 RUB = 1.18 USD). 1 EUR = 95.35 RUB (100 RUB = 1.05 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Astrakhan 1,640 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Astrakhan

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 Astrakhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul and Astrakhan differ by about 943% in total monthly costs ($1,526 vs $146 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,289 in Istanbul and $219 in Astrakhan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Astrakhan – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $55.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,526 per month in Istanbul versus $146 in Astrakhan – a 943% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $146 in Astrakhan versus $1,526 in Istanbul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Astrakhan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 943% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.