Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Augustow

For one person, living costs are similar in Istanbul and in Augustow: $1,550 and $1,574 a month, rent and utilities included.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Augustow
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,574
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Augustow

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,574 in Augustow.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Augustow $1,574

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $2,298 in Augustow.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Augustow $2,298

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $3,021 in Augustow.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Augustow $3,021

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 2% less than in Augustow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 15% above, Augustow 17% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$11.44 zł 44.44
7.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$60.1 zł 233
-8.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$10.06 zł 39.08
-8.35%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$4.22 zł 16.39
4.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$2.28 zł 8.86
-26.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$2.26 zł 8.79
-73.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$4.55 zł 17.69
3.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$5.04 zł 19.56
17.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.04 zł 4.04
16.35%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.51 zł 5.87
-41.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.61 zł 6.26
36.02%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$3.77 zł 14.64
-37.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$8.83 zł 34.30
18.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$6.31 zł 24.53
-10.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$14.49 zł 56.3
44.51%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$1.16 zł 4.52
63.79%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$1.66 zł 6.44
39.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.71 zł 6.65
-25.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$3.92 zł 15.24
-54.08%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$0.90 zł 3.51
-27.78%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$0.93 zł 3.63
-31.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.44 zł 5.60
-13.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.70 zł 2.70
-20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$6.48 zł 25.16
-63.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$6.38 zł 24.80
110.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.14 zł 4.43
110.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.72 zł 6.69
102.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$1.12 zł 4.35
-20.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$29.87 zł 116
125.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$2.50 zł 9.72
-48.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.30 zł 5.05
-29.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$12.97 zł 50.4
-15.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.70 zł 6.61
-13.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$30.0K zł 116.6K
69.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$29.9K zł 116.1K
49.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$349 zł 1,355
-74.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$9.00 zł 34.99
28.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$16.11 zł 62.6
-1.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$43.55 zł 169
77.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$20.49 zł 79.6
10.98%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$9.20 zł 35.73
-11.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$594 zł 2,307
69.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$14.4K zł 55.9K
77.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$109 zł 424
-50.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$39.15 zł 152
4.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$107 zł 414
-7.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$113 zł 439
-14.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$611 zł 2,374
61.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$475 zł 1,845
36.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$1,067 zł 4,147
85.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$749 zł 2,908
57.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$2,951 zł 11.5K
6.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$2,243 zł 8,715
-20.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Augustow
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$1,441 zł 5,600
-16.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
6.68
512.57%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Augustow: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Augustow
$475 26.9% $175
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Augustow
$231 10.9% $28
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Augustow
$223 0% $0
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Augustow
$166 26.8% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Augustow
$374 222% $258
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Augustow
$62 33.7% $32
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Augustow
$43 43.6% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $611 in Augustow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Augustow pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $60.0 in Augustow. Groceries flip the comparison at $260 vs $231, with Augustow cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇵🇱 Augustow
🕒 Local time
04:11 4:11 AM
03:11 3:11 AM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
29,785
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Augustow 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Augustow

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 Augustow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Istanbul or Augustow?
Istanbul wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Augustow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Istanbul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Istanbul or in Augustow?
On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Augustow. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Istanbul compared to Augustow?
Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $611 in Augustow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Istanbul and in Augustow?
Childcare runs $1,008 in Istanbul versus $594 in Augustow. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Istanbul or in Augustow?
Shoppers in Augustow pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Istanbul or in Augustow?
At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,574 in Augustow, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Augustow. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Istanbul or Augustow?
Both work as nomad bases, but Istanbul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,550 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Istanbul hard to pass up.
How safe is Istanbul compared to Augustow?
Safety-wise, Istanbul and Augustow are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Augustow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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