Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Beit Shemesh

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,519 a month against $3,095 in Beit Shemesh, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul, Turkey
Beit Shemesh, Israel
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,519
/mo nomad
Beit Shemesh
🇮🇱 Israel
$3,095
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Beit Shemesh

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $3,095 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,519
  • Beit Shemesh $3,095

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $4,545 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,365
  • Beit Shemesh $4,545

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $5,996 in Beit Shemesh, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,212
  • Beit Shemesh $5,996

Istanbul is about 51% cheaper than Beit Shemesh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Beit Shemesh sit above the global median – Istanbul by 12%, Beit Shemesh by 129%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.81 ₺592
$25.01 ₪80.0
-52.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9 ₺2,754
$126 ₪402
-56.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 ₺465
$19.88 ₪63.6
-53.42%
Cappuccino
$4.30 ₺216
$5.20 ₪16.64
-17.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 ₺89.0
$3.86 ₪12.33
-54.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺28.32
$2.96 ₪9.45
-81.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺235
$10.28 ₪32.88
-54.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 ₺357
$10.03 ₪32.07
-29.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 ₺62.7
$2.43 ₪7.78
-48.56%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 ₺44.17
$4.55 ₪14.56
-80.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ₺111
$3.65 ₪11.66
-39.73%
Eggs
$2.43 ₺122
$4.96 ₪15.87
-51.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.48 ₺526
$21.04 ₪67.3
-50.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.31 ₺267
$16.22 ₪51.9
-67.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.10 ₺1,058
$24.52 ₪78.4
-13.95%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ₺93.1
$4.58 ₪14.64
-59.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 ₺115
$3.70 ₪11.84
-37.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.22 ₺61.0
$2.46 ₪7.86
-50.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺90.2
$3.33 ₪10.66
-45.95%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ₺34.83
$1.90 ₪6.08
-63.68%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺32.16
$1.89 ₪6.05
-66.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ₺68.0
$2.61 ₪8.34
-47.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₺28.94
$2.60 ₪8.30
-77.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 ₺117
$14.51 ₪46.40
-83.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.03 ₺653
$16.10 ₪51.5
-19.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36 ₺118
$3.70 ₪11.82
-36.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 ₺166
$4.67 ₪14.93
-28.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ₺44.07
$2.48 ₪7.93
-64.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.1 ₺3,316
$101 ₪324
-34.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ₺64.4
$4.16 ₪13.29
-69.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.80
$0.72 ₪2.30
18.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.09 ₺556
$37.80 ₪121
-70.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 ₺74.0
$2.36 ₪7.55
-37.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.6K ₺2.4M
$54.6K ₪174.7K
-10.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.0K ₺2.1M
$52.0K ₪166.3K
-19.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.7 ₺4,650
$444 ₪1,419
-79.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.20 ₺562
$11.27 ₪36.02
-0.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.89 ₺797
$34.64 ₪111
-54.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 ₺3,745
$78.4 ₪251
-4.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.95 ₺1,151
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 ₺404
$15.44 ₪49.35
-47.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$948 ₺47.6K
$1,684 ₪5,384
-43.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.9K ₺1.9M
$25.4K ₪81.3K
45.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₺2,702
$124 ₪396
-56.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.49 ₺2,081
$85.8 ₪274
-51.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ₺5,060
$167 ₪533
-39.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.3 ₺4,580
$196 ₪626
-53.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 ₺50.8K
$1,415 ₪4,523
-28.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$625 ₺31.3K
$1,194 ₪3,817
-47.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,005 ₺100.6K
$2,027 ₪6,482
-1.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 ₺56.5K
$1,837 ₪5,872
-38.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,988 ₺149.8K
$9,290 ₪29.7K
-67.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,730 ₺86.8K
$7,082 ₪22.6K
-75.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Beit Shemesh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,136 ₺57.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.42
5.03
703.58%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Beit Shemesh: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$625
Beit Shemesh
$1.2K 91.2% $569
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$258
Beit Shemesh
$505 95.5% $247
Eating Out
Istanbul
$221
Beit Shemesh
$421 90.5% $200
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Beit Shemesh
$257 98.9% $128
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$120
Beit Shemesh
$490 309% $370
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$91
Beit Shemesh
$109 20.3% $18
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Beit Shemesh
$119 58.2% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $1,415 in Beit Shemesh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $126 in Beit Shemesh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $505 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇮🇱 Beit Shemesh
🕒 Local time
23:57 11:57 PM
22:57 10:57 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
124,445
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.05 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.2 ILS (1 ILS = 0.313 USD). 1 EUR = 3.57 ILS (1 ILS = 0.28 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Beit Shemesh 1,160 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Beit Shemesh

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 Beit Shemesh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Beit Shemesh?
Yes – Beit Shemesh is pricier by about 104%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $4,643 in Beit Shemesh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,014 there versus $1,415 in Beit Shemesh.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Beit Shemesh?
Groceries cost about 95% more in Beit Shemesh, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Istanbul or in Beit Shemesh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul and $126 in Beit Shemesh. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Istanbul or in Beit Shemesh?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,519 in Istanbul and $3,095 in Beit Shemesh. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Istanbul or Beit Shemesh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Beit Shemesh?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Istanbul is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 51% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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