Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Attard

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,526 a month against $2,528 in Attard, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Attard outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,526
/mo nomad
Attard
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,528
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Attard

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $2,528 in Attard, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,526
  • Attard $2,528

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $3,273 in Attard, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,399
  • Attard $3,273

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $4,019 in Attard, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,272
  • Attard $4,019

Istanbul is about 40% cheaper than Attard, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Attard sit above the global median – Istanbul by 14%, Attard by 89%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.88 ₺585
$19.36 €17.28
-38.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.1 ₺2,714
$78.0 €69.6
-29.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.14 ₺450
$9.27 €8.28
-1.40%
Cappuccino
$4.24 ₺209
$2.75 €2.45
54.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₺86.0
$1.73 €1.55
1.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₺26.83
$1.24 €1.11
-56.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺231
$4.51 €4.02
3.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.97 ₺294
$4.51 €4.02
32.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 ₺62.1
$1.36 €1.21
-7.35%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 ₺46.81
$1.31 €1.17
-27.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$4.41 €3.94
-47.62%
Eggs
$2.47 ₺122
$4.21 €3.75
-41.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.55 ₺520
$8.38 €7.48
25.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.60 ₺276
$10.29 €9.18
-45.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.21 ₺1,045
$18.61 €16.61
13.97%
Apples (1kg)
$1.93 ₺95.1
$4.10 €3.66
-52.93%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 ₺113
$2.74 €2.45
-16.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$3.58 €3.20
-64.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.84 ₺90.8
$3.43 €3.06
-46.36%
Potato (1kg)
$0.67 ₺32.86
$2.43 €2.17
-72.43%
Onion (1kg)
$0.59 ₺29.31
$1.97 €1.76
-70.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 ₺65.4
$2.30 €2.05
-42.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.10
$1.30 €1.16
-54.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 ₺116
$6.63 €5.91
-64.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.47 ₺664
$8.38 €7.48
60.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 ₺119
$1.72 €1.53
40.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54 ₺174
$2.36 €2.10
50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 ₺40.64
$2.88 €2.57
-71.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.5 ₺3,273
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₺66.6
$5.60 €5.00
-75.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.05
$2.19 €1.95
-61.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.86 ₺535
$27.20 €24.28
-60.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.3
$1.47 €1.31
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.6K ₺2.5M
$37.5K €33.5K
37.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.4K ₺2.2M
$38.9K €34.7K
14.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.2 ₺4,395
$104 €93.2
-14.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ₺572
$26.07 €23.26
-55.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.10 ₺793
$42.52 €37.95
-62.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.3 ₺3,805
$41.96 €37.44
84.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.66 ₺1,116
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.34 ₺411
$10.20 €9.11
-18.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$974 ₺48.0K
$370 €331
162.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K ₺1.3M
$10.9K €9,769
135.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 ₺2,597
$87.5 €78.1
-39.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.16 ₺1,929
$40.42 €36.07
-3.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 ₺5,083
$101 €89.8
2.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,759
$78.8 €70.3
22.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$994 ₺49.0K
$1,826 €1,629
-45.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 ₺31.0K
$1,523 €1,359
-58.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,024 ₺99.7K
$2,092 €1,867
-3.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,155 ₺56.9K
$1,677 €1,496
-31.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,160 ₺155.7K
$2,242 €2,000
40.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,838 ₺90.5K
$1,707 €1,523
7.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Attard
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,203 ₺59.3K
$1,231 €1,099
-2.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
41.09
2.9
1316.90%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Attard: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$629
Attard
$1.5K 142% $893
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$264
Attard
$328 24.3% $64
Eating Out
Istanbul
$218
Attard
$259 18.9% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Attard
$138 5.4% $7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$117
Attard
$173 48% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$94
Attard
$62 33.6% $32
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Attard
$28 * 62.8% $47

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $1,826 in Attard. 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 2% higher in Attard, 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $78.0 in Attard. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $328 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇲🇹 Attard
🕒 Local time
11:44 11:44 AM
10:44 10:44 AM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
10,650
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Attard 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Attard

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 Attard: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Istanbul or Attard?
Attard costs about 66% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Istanbul and in Attard?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $3,792 in Attard. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Istanbul or Attard?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Istanbul and in Attard?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $78.0 in Attard. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Istanbul or in Attard?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Attard, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Istanbul or in Attard?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,526, than in Attard at $2,528. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Attard it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Istanbul or Attard?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Istanbul costs $1,526 versus $2,528 in Attard. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Istanbul compared to Attard?
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.
Should I move to Istanbul or to Attard?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Attard makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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