Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Buzet

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,631 in Buzet, rent and utilities included – about $970 less a year. The total is higher in Buzet despite lower rent and utilities.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Buzet
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,631
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Buzet

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,631 in Buzet, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Buzet $1,631

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,444 in Buzet, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Buzet $2,444

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $3,258 in Buzet, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Buzet $3,258

Istanbul is about 5% cheaper than Buzet, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Istanbul and Buzet sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Buzet by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$17.31 €15.40
-28.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$78.6 €69.9
-30.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$7.64 €6.80
20.68%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$3.28 €2.92
34.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$3.86 €3.43
-56.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$2.96 €2.63
-80.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$5.42 €4.82
-13.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$4.71 €4.19
25.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.16 €1.03
4.31%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.71 €1.52
-47.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$3.04 €2.70
-27.96%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$4.97 €4.42
-52.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$15.32 €13.62
-31.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$9.47 €8.42
-40.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$12.07 €10.74
73.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$1.88 €1.68
1.06%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$1.52 €1.36
51.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$2.07 €1.84
-38.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$2.78 €2.47
-35.25%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$2.22 €1.97
-70.72%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$2.11 €1.88
-69.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.54 €1.37
-18.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$1.58 €1.40
-64.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$5.51 €4.90
-56.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$7.96 €7.08
68.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.37 €1.21
75.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.49 €1.33
133.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$1.81 €1.61
-50.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$38.40 €34.16
75.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$3.15 €2.80
-59.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.45 €1.29
-36.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$13.58 €12.08
-19.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.78 €1.59
-17.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$26.2K €23.3K
93.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$25.4K €22.6K
75.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$179 €160
-50.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$26.86 €23.89
-56.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$42.48 €37.79
-62.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$55.5 €49.40
38.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$14.22 €12.65
59.92%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$9.03 €8.03
-9.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$423 €377
138.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$6,799 €6,048
275.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$87.7 €78.1
-38.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$45.13 €40.14
-9.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$103 €91.9
-4.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$76.9 €68.4
25.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$671 €597
46.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$554 €493
17.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$1,233 €1,097
60.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$786 €699
50.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$4,519 €4,020
-30.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$2,661 €2,367
-33.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Buzet
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
3.72
1000.00%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Buzet: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Buzet
$554 14.7% $96
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Buzet
$293 12.7% $33
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Buzet
$265 18.5% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Buzet
$141 7.8% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Buzet
$249 115% $133
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Buzet
$74 21.2% $20
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Buzet
$56 27.1% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $671 in Buzet. 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $79.0 in Buzet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $293 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇭🇷 Buzet
🕒 Local time
23:56 11:56 PM
22:56 10:56 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
6,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Buzet 1,310 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Buzet

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 Buzet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Istanbul and in Buzet compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul, $1,631 in Buzet – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Istanbul compared to Buzet?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $2,446 in Buzet. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Istanbul and Buzet?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Istanbul and Buzet?
Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $423 in Buzet. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Buzet, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Buzet at $1,631. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buzet it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Istanbul and Buzet?
It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,550 in Istanbul to $1,631 in Buzet. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Istanbul or Buzet safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Istanbul and Buzet?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buzet makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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