Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Boras

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,862 in Boras, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Boras
Learn more

Boras Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Boras

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,862

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Boras

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,862 in Boras.

Istanbul $1,550
Boras $1,862

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $2,190 in Boras.

Istanbul $2,415
Boras $2,190

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $2,519 in Boras.

Istanbul $3,281
Boras $2,519

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 17% less than in Boras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 15% above, Boras 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$12.85 SEK 127

-4.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$90.2 SEK 894

-39.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$9.85 SEK 97.6

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.33 SEK 42.89

1.62%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.12 SEK 21.02

-20.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.95 SEK 19.33

-69.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$6.85 SEK 67.9

-31.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$6.94 SEK 68.8

-14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.62 SEK 16.06

-25.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$2.56 SEK 25.34

-65.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.94 SEK 29.17

-25.51%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$4.53 SEK 44.88

-48.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$12.43 SEK 123

-16.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$11.63 SEK 115

-51.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$15.46 SEK 153

35.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.10 SEK 30.72

-38.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.61 SEK 25.83

-11.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.75 SEK 27.27

-53.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$3.47 SEK 34.42

-48.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.46 SEK 14.43

-55.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.35 SEK 13.41

-52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.21 SEK 21.85

-43.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.35 SEK 13.39

-58.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$6.49 SEK 64.3

-63.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$8.23 SEK 81.6

63.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.78 SEK 17.65

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.62 SEK 16.08

114.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$3.66 SEK 36.29

-75.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$75.5 SEK 748

-10.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$5.03 SEK 49.83

-74.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.07 SEK 10.64

-14.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$40.70 SEK 403

-73.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.77 SEK 17.55

-16.95%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$25.3K SEK 250.5K

100.87%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$15.2K SEK 150.9K

192.37%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$58.6 SEK 580

51.31%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$28.96 SEK 287

-59.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$39.63 SEK 393

-60.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$34.24 SEK 339

125.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$24.72 SEK 245

-8.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$14.86 SEK 147

-45.22%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$156 SEK 1,542

547.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$49.27 SEK 488

9.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$50.7 SEK 502

-19.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$78.5 SEK 778

25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$101 SEK 998

-4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$862 SEK 8,540

-24.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$2,412 SEK 23.9K

-50.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

4.8

752.50%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Boras: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Boras

$862 46.3% 32.7% $212

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Boras

$334 17.9% 28.5% $74

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Boras

$249 13.4% 11.4% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Boras

$126 6.8% 3.8% $5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Boras

$127 6.8% 9.6% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Boras

$64 3.4% 31.6% $29

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Boras

$101 5.4% 30.7% $24

Cost Breakdown

Boras pays 100% 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 $90.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $334 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇪 Boras

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

09:55 9:55 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

66,273

💱 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 Boras 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Boras

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 Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 100% lower in Boras. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $1,862 in Boras – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Istanbul runs roughly 12% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,862 in Boras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Boras. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Istanbul is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Boras 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 20% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.