Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Bussum

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,557 in Bussum, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Bussum
Learn more

Bussum Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Bussum

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,557

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Bussum

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $2,557 in Bussum.

Istanbul $1,550
Bussum $2,557

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $3,742 in Bussum.

Istanbul $2,415
Bussum $3,742

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $4,927 in Bussum.

Istanbul $3,281
Bussum $4,927

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 39% less than in Bussum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 15% above, Bussum 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$24.87 €22.12

-50.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$84.2 €74.9

-35.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$13.63 €12.13

-32.36%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$3.90 €3.47

12.82%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$3.77 €3.36

-55.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$3.11 €2.77

-81.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$5.43 €4.83

-13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$5.48 €4.88

7.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.17 €1.04

3.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.33 €1.18

-33.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.43 €2.16

-9.88%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$4.82 €4.29

-51.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$12.77 €11.36

-18.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$14.39 €12.80

-60.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$16.67 €14.83

25.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.91 €1.70

-0.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.40 €2.13

-3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.81 €1.61

-29.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$2.66 €2.36

-32.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$2.01 €1.78

-67.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.56 €1.39

-58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.23 €1.09

1.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.75 €0.67

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$13.92 €12.38

-82.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$6.78 €6.03

97.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.50 €1.34

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.75 €1.56

98.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$3.50 €3.11

-74.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$88.6 €78.8

-23.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$4.40 €3.91

-70.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$3.28 €2.91

-71.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$60.8 €54.1

-81.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.26 €2.01

-34.96%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$39.5K €35.2K

28.44%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$23.0K €20.5K

93.41%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$282 €251

-68.54%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$24.44 €21.74

-52.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$49.21 €43.77

-67.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$59.0 €52.5

30.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$23.98 €21.33

-5.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$16.68 €14.83

-51.20%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$2,374 €2,112

-57.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$7,848 €6,981

225.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$58.5 €52.0

-7.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$43.85 €39.01

-6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$90.6 €80.6

9.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$140 €125

-31.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,639 €1,458

-39.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$1,177 €1,047

-44.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$2,393 €2,129

-17.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,886 €1,678

-37.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$5,963 €5,304

-47.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$6,301 €5,605

-71.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$4,538 €4,037

-73.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

4.3

851.63%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bussum: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Bussum

$1.2K 46% 81.2% $527

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Bussum

$306 12% 18% $47

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Bussum

$352 13.8% 57.8% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Bussum

$150 5.9% 14.8% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Bussum

$355 13.9% 206% $239

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Bussum

$92 3.6% 1.2% $1.1

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Bussum

$123 4.8% 60.5% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $1,639 in Bussum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bussum pays 276% 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 $84.0 in Bussum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $306 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇱 Bussum

🕒 Local time

06:36 6:36 AM

05:36 5:36 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

33,220

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD 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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Bussum 2,190 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Bussum

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 Bussum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul and Bussum differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,550 vs $2,557 including rent). Istanbul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 276% lower in Bussum. 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 $1,639 in Bussum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $2,557 in Bussum – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Istanbul runs roughly 31% less than in Bussum. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $2,557 in Bussum, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Bussum. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul 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 Bussum 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 65% less than in Bussum. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.