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: $1,467 in Istanbul versus $879 in Aydin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,251 in Istanbul versus $1,514 in Aydin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,035 in Istanbul versus $2,149 in Aydin.

Living in Istanbul is roughly 67% more expensive than in Aydin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 10% above, Aydin is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.20 ₺528

$4.96 ₺234

125.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,406

$21.85 ₺1,031

133.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 ₺363

$8.97 ₺423

-14.05%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ₺170

$3.37 ₺159

6.82%

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

$1.29 ₺61.0

$1.25 ₺58.8

3.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺23.15

$0.56 ₺26.40

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₺178

$3.36 ₺158

12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 ₺236

$4.44 ₺209

12.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₺52.2

$0.95 ₺44.88

16.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₺35.57

$0.76 ₺36.07

-1.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺104

Eggs

$2.70 ₺127

$1.70 ₺80.1

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ₺479

$9.85 ₺465

3.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ₺305

$5.29 ₺249

22.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.78 ₺933

$20.45 ₺964

-3.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺70.9

$1.30 ₺61.4

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺107

$1.84 ₺86.8

23.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₺61.2

$0.96 ₺45.23

35.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺77.0

$1.05 ₺49.59

55.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺33.62

$0.72 ₺34.17

-1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₺34.18

$0.56 ₺26.35

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺53.3

$0.65 ₺30.69

73.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺29.01

$0.36 ₺17.00

72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₺103

$2.15 ₺102

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 ₺612

$8.29 ₺391

56.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₺105

$1.81 ₺85.3

22.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₺145

$2.66 ₺126

15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.96

$1.48 ₺69.8

-51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 ₺2,524

$52.8 ₺2,488

1.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺49.34

$0.93 ₺43.91

12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺27.34

$0.62 ₺29.06

-6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 ₺431

$12.58 ₺593

-27.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺56.9

$1.21 ₺57.1

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

$45.2K ₺2.1M

$47.4K ₺2.2M

-4.62%

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

$44.0K ₺2.1M

$41.3K ₺1.9M

6.64%

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

$71.7 ₺3,380

$47.67 ₺2,248

50.37%

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

$12.50 ₺589

$5.54 ₺261

125.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.63 ₺690

$12.86 ₺606

13.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 ₺2,881

$44.07 ₺2,078

38.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 ₺864

$25.87 ₺1,220

-29.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 ₺359

$4.37 ₺206

73.91%

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

$934 ₺44.0K

$210 ₺9,910

344.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K ₺870.8K

$7,604 ₺358.6K

142.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₺2,613

$37.44 ₺1,766

48.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.26 ₺2,229

$53.5 ₺2,522

-11.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 ₺5,275

$64.1 ₺3,024

74.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,977

$44.73 ₺2,109

135.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ₺44.6K

$287 ₺13.5K

230.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₺28.7K

$253 ₺11.9K

140.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 ₺83.0K

$772 ₺36.4K

128.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 ₺50.0K

$757 ₺35.7K

40.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,087 ₺145.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 ₺79.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,174 ₺55.4K

$1,016 ₺47.9K

15.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

49.33

-1.82%

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

Last update for Istanbul: July 11, 2026

Last update for Aydin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Istanbul and $287 in Aydin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 16% 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: $51.0 in Istanbul vs $22.00 in Aydin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $218 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $879 including rent). Aydin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% 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: $946 in Istanbul versus $287 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 $22.00 versus $51.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Istanbul versus $879 in Aydin – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $879 in Aydin versus $1,467 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 67% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.