Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Aydin

For one person, living is cheaper in Aydin: $914 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Aydin
🇹🇷 Turkey
$914
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Aydin

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $914 in Aydin.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Aydin $914

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $1,490 in Aydin.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Aydin $1,490

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $2,066 in Aydin.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Aydin $2,066

Living in Istanbul is roughly 69% more expensive than in Aydin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 15% above, Aydin is 32% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$6.15 ₺305
100.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$24.75 ₺1,225
121.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$8.26 ₺409
11.62%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$3.26 ₺161
34.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$1.19 ₺58.9
41.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$0.35 ₺17.43
68.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$3.13 ₺155
50.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$3.37 ₺167
75.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$0.94 ₺46.60
28.72%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.02 ₺50.4
-12.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$2.30 ₺114
-4.78%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$1.88 ₺93.1
25.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$9.09 ₺450
14.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$3.28 ₺162
72.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$21.20 ₺1,049
-1.23%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$1.94 ₺96.2
-2.06%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$1.95 ₺96.6
18.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$0.99 ₺49.16
29.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$1.13 ₺56.0
59.29%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$0.59 ₺29.26
10.17%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$0.39 ₺19.24
64.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$0.75 ₺37.19
66.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.73 ₺36.25
-23.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$2.22 ₺110
6.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$7.90 ₺391
69.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.98 ₺97.8
21.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$2.82 ₺140
23.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$0.53 ₺26.24
67.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$42.64 ₺2,111
58.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$1.58 ₺78.3
-18.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.04 ₺51.3
-11.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$5.47 ₺271
100.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.35 ₺67.0
8.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$40.4K ₺2.0M
25.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$37.8K ₺1.9M
17.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$41.72 ₺2,066
112.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$8.30 ₺411
39.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$12.39 ₺614
27.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$23.84 ₺1,180
223.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$12.79 ₺633
77.80%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$6.40 ₺317
27.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$298 ₺14.8K
238.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$6,708 ₺332.1K
281.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$45.53 ₺2,254
18.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$37.17 ₺1,840
9.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$90.4 ₺4,474
9.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$83.0 ₺4,107
16.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$302 ₺15.0K
225.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$287 ₺14.2K
126.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$702 ₺34.7K
182.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$635 ₺31.5K
85.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$2,012 ₺99.6K
55.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$1,443 ₺71.5K
23.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Aydin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$970 ₺48.0K
24.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
42.33
-3.33%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Aydin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Aydin
$287 55.9% $363
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Aydin
$220 15.2% $39
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Aydin
$142 36.5% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Aydin
$115 11.8% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Aydin
$62 46.2% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Aydin
$37 60.8% $57
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Aydin
$52 33% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $302 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: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $25.00 in Aydin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $220 per month, with Aydin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇹🇷 Aydin
🕒 Local time
16:31 4:31 PM
16:31 4:31 PM
Same time as Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
1,119,084
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
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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
What is the total cost difference between living in Istanbul and in Aydin?
Istanbul and Aydin differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,550 vs $914 including rent). Aydin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Istanbul or Aydin?
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.
How do apartment prices compare in Istanbul and in Aydin?
Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $302 in Aydin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Aydin – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $55.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Istanbul or Aydin?
All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $914 in Aydin – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $914 in Aydin versus $1,550 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.
How does quality of life compare between Istanbul and Aydin?
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.
Is Istanbul or Aydin safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Istanbul or Aydin?
Expats usually find Aydin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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