Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Aydin Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Aydin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,538 in Istanbul versus $964 in Aydin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,390 in Istanbul versus $1,583 in Aydin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Istanbul versus $2,203 in Aydin.

Living in Istanbul is roughly 60% more expensive than in Aydin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 12% above, Aydin is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 ₺497

$6.32 ₺305

62.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₺2,508

$24.62 ₺1,189

110.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 ₺442

$8.42 ₺407

8.67%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₺203

$3.05 ₺147

37.70%

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

$1.68 ₺81.4

$1.31 ₺63.5

28.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.61

$0.38 ₺18.38

55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ₺197

$3.19 ₺154

27.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 ₺292

$3.68 ₺178

64.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.2

$1.02 ₺49.15

19.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.66

$1.11 ₺53.5

-15.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ₺114

$2.32 ₺112

2.16%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺119

$1.91 ₺92.1

28.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 ₺522

$9.28 ₺448

16.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺260

$3.36 ₺162

60.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.07 ₺1,018

$21.41 ₺1,034

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺95.4

$1.96 ₺94.7

0.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ₺109

$2.02 ₺97.6

12.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ₺56.6

$1.02 ₺49.44

14.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 ₺93.9

$1.12 ₺54.1

73.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₺30.20

$0.62 ₺30.06

1.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₺27.21

$0.47 ₺22.62

19.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺52.7

$0.84 ₺40.40

29.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺30.13

$0.72 ₺34.77

-13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺113

$2.33 ₺113

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 ₺662

$8.09 ₺391

69.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₺117

$2.01 ₺97.3

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₺162

$2.81 ₺136

19.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.01

$0.50 ₺24.13

78.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.7 ₺3,318

$42.67 ₺2,062

60.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₺66.3

$1.63 ₺78.7

-15.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 ₺42.97

$2.46 ₺119

-63.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺525

$10.21 ₺493

6.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₺66.0

$1.28 ₺62.1

7.03%

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

$52.1K ₺2.5M

$42.1K ₺2.0M

23.89%

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

$43.6K ₺2.1M

$38.1K ₺1.8M

14.49%

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

$90.0 ₺4,350

$41.79 ₺2,019

115.41%

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

$11.49 ₺555

$8.76 ₺423

31.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.30 ₺788

$12.23 ₺591

33.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₺3,452

$37.74 ₺1,823

89.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 ₺1,118

$12.80 ₺618

80.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 ₺391

$6.71 ₺324

20.57%

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

$989 ₺47.8K

$307 ₺14.8K

222.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K ₺1.3M

$6,810 ₺329.1K

305.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ₺2,591

$57.5 ₺2,777

-6.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 ₺1,954

$52.7 ₺2,545

-23.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,878

$93.4 ₺4,511

8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ₺4,500

$87.2 ₺4,212

6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ₺47.1K

$308 ₺14.9K

216.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₺31.0K

$302 ₺14.6K

112.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 ₺93.0K

$713 ₺34.4K

170.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 ₺56.9K

$647 ₺31.3K

82.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,080 ₺148.8K

$2,082 ₺100.6K

47.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,690 ₺81.7K

$1,434 ₺69.3K

17.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,219 ₺58.9K

$982 ₺47.4K

24.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

49.67

-17.27%

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

Last update for Istanbul: August 31, 2026

Last update for Aydin: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $975 in Istanbul and $308 in Aydin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 24% 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: $52.0 in Istanbul vs $25.00 in Aydin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $225 per month, with Aydin cheaper across the board.

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 Aydin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul and Aydin differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,538 vs $964 including rent). Aydin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Istanbul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $975 in Istanbul versus $308 in Aydin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Aydin – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $52.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,538 per month in Istanbul versus $964 in Aydin – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $964 in Aydin versus $1,538 in Istanbul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aydin but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Aydin 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 Aydin 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 Aydin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.