Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Bålsta

For one person, living costs are similar in Istanbul and in Bålsta: $1,550 and $1,547 a month, rent and utilities included.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Bålsta
Learn more

Bålsta Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Bålsta

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,547

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Bålsta

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,547 in Bålsta.

Istanbul $1,550
Bålsta $1,547

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $2,416 in Bålsta.

Istanbul $2,415
Bålsta $2,416

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $3,286 in Bålsta.

Istanbul $3,281
Bålsta $3,286

Monthly costs are close between Istanbul and Bålsta; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$13.80 SEK 137

-10.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$65.1 SEK 645

-15.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$8.62 SEK 85.5

6.96%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$3.89 SEK 38.56

13.11%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.65 SEK 26.21

-36.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$2.22 SEK 22.00

-73.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$6.90 SEK 68.4

-31.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$6.82 SEK 67.6

-13.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.53 SEK 15.16

-20.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$2.02 SEK 20.04

-55.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$3.56 SEK 35.31

-38.48%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.62 SEK 35.86

-35.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$10.93 SEK 108

-4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$12.00 SEK 119

-52.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$10.92 SEK 108

91.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.44 SEK 24.15

-22.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.55 SEK 25.30

-9.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.93 SEK 19.13

-33.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$2.73 SEK 27.06

-34.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.46 SEK 14.42

-55.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.22 SEK 12.07

-47.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.51 SEK 14.94

-17.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.98 SEK 9.70

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$7.18 SEK 71.2

-66.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$9.74 SEK 96.5

37.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.53 SEK 15.16

56.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.01 SEK 19.88

73.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$3.19 SEK 31.62

-72.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$78.0 SEK 773

-13.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$5.81 SEK 57.6

-77.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.51 SEK 15.00

-39.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$78.0 SEK 773

-85.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.75 SEK 17.37

-16.00%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$32.9K SEK 325.8K

54.45%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$32.0K SEK 317.3K

39.05%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$49.58 SEK 491

78.72%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$20.01 SEK 198

-42.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$39.64 SEK 393

-60.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$38.01 SEK 377

103.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$25.77 SEK 255

-11.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$12.98 SEK 129

-37.29%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$121 SEK 1,194

736.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$4,908 SEK 48.6K

420.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$70.8 SEK 701

-23.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$10.12 SEK 100

303.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$81.0 SEK 803

22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$110 SEK 1,087

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$794 SEK 7,862

24.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$602 SEK 5,966

7.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,359 SEK 13.5K

45.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,014 SEK 10.1K

16.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$3,972 SEK 39.4K

-20.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,805 SEK 27.8K

-36.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$3,866 SEK 38.3K

-68.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

2.8

1361.43%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Bålsta

$602 38.9% 7.3% $48

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Bålsta

$294 19% 13.4% $35

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Bålsta

$251 16.2% 12.2% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Bålsta

$122 7.9% 6.4% $8.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Bålsta

$109 7.1% 5.9% $6.8

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Bålsta

$64 4.1% 31.5% $29

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Bålsta

$104 6.7% 35.5% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $794 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 221% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $65.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $294 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇪 Bålsta

🕒 Local time

12:28 12:28 PM

11:28 11:28 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

13,138

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

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).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Bålsta 2,210 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Bålsta

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 Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 221% lower in Bålsta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $794 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 16% less than in Istanbul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Istanbul pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,547 in Bålsta versus $1,550 in Istanbul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,547 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Bålsta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Bålsta wins on affordability, Istanbul on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.