Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Bern

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,526 a month against $3,361 in Bern, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
163

Cost of Living Index in Bern
Learn more

Bern Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Bern

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,361

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Bern

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,526 in Istanbul versus $3,361 in Bern.

Istanbul $1,526
Bern $3,361

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,399 in Istanbul versus $5,127 in Bern.

Istanbul $2,399
Bern $5,127

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,272 in Istanbul versus $6,894 in Bern.

Istanbul $3,272
Bern $6,894

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 55% less than in Bern, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 14% above, Bern 151% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$28.65 CHF 23.78

-58.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$120 CHF 99.9

-54.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$15.95 CHF 13.23

-42.70%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$6.61 CHF 5.49

-35.85%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$6.16 CHF 5.11

-71.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$6.97 CHF 5.79

-92.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$9.14 CHF 7.59

-48.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$7.95 CHF 6.60

-24.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$2.19 CHF 1.82

-42.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$2.91 CHF 2.42

-67.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$3.25 CHF 2.70

-28.92%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$7.57 CHF 6.29

-67.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$24.53 CHF 20.36

-56.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$28.76 CHF 23.87

-80.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$38.92 CHF 32.30

-45.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$3.94 CHF 3.27

-51.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.95 CHF 1.62

17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.64 CHF 2.19

-51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$4.71 CHF 3.91

-60.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$1.61 CHF 1.34

-58.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.97 CHF 1.63

-70.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$2.29 CHF 1.90

-41.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$1.35 CHF 1.12

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$11.08 CHF 9.20

-78.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$12.00 CHF 9.96

12.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$2.23 CHF 1.85

8.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$2.91 CHF 2.42

21.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$6.31 CHF 5.24

-86.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$100 CHF 83.2

-33.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$8.04 CHF 6.68

-83.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$4.52 CHF 3.76

-81.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$107 CHF 88.8

-89.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$2.31 CHF 1.92

-36.36%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$43.0K CHF 35.7K

20.00%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$39.2K CHF 32.5K

13.34%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$267 CHF 222

-66.60%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$27.95 CHF 23.20

-58.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$54.8 CHF 45.51

-70.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$86.9 CHF 72.2

-11.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$46.30 CHF 38.43

-51.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$23.85 CHF 19.79

-65.03%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$3,148 CHF 2,612

-69.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$30.7K CHF 25.5K

-16.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$142 CHF 118

-62.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$61.4 CHF 51.0

-36.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$157 CHF 130

-34.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$195 CHF 162

-50.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$1,900 CHF 1,577

-47.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$1,386 CHF 1,151

-54.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$3,555 CHF 2,951

-43.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$2,455 CHF 2,037

-52.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$18.4K CHF 15.3K

-82.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$14.6K CHF 12.1K

-87.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$6,782 CHF 5,629

-82.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

2.46

1570.33%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Bern: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Bern

$1.4K 41.8% 120% $757

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Bern

$569 17.2% 116% $305

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Bern

$470 14.2% 116% $253

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Bern

$250 7.5% 90.4% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Bern

$350 10.6% 199% $233

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Bern

$135 4.1% 43.3% $41

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Bern

$156 4.7% 107% $81

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Istanbul and $1,900 in Bern. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bern pays 464% 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 $120 in Bern for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $569 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇨🇭 Bern

🕒 Local time

15:58 3:58 PM

14:58 2:58 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

128,848 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1 CHF = 1.2 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 0.93 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Bern 1,840 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Bern

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 Bern: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul wins on cost – living expenses run 120% lower than in Bern. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Istanbul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 464% lower in Bern. 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: $994 in Istanbul versus $1,900 in Bern. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Istanbul – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $120 in Bern. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,526 per month in Istanbul versus $3,361 in Bern – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,526 in Istanbul versus $3,361 in Bern, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Bern. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Istanbul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,526 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Istanbul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Bern 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 Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Bern. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.