Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Castello de la Plana Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Castello de la Plana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,422 per month in Istanbul vs $1,489 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Istanbul vs $2,149 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,971 per month in Istanbul vs $2,809 in Castello de la Plana, rent included.

Istanbul is about 4% cheaper than Castello de la Plana, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Istanbul and Castello de la Plana sit above the global median – Istanbul by 7%, Castello de la Plana by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 ₺533

$14.89 €12.90

-24.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 ₺2,395

$57.7 €49.95

-12.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₺353

$8.25 €7.14

-10.06%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ₺165

$2.43 €2.11

42.80%

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

$1.30 ₺61.9

$2.25 €1.95

-42.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺23.43

$1.77 €1.53

-72.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₺179

$2.86 €2.47

31.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺247

$3.55 €3.07

46.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 ₺53.1

$1.18 €1.02

-5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₺38.19

$2.02 €1.75

-60.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺105

$1.98 €1.72

11.62%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺123

$2.96 €2.56

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ₺482

$15.28 €13.24

-33.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 ₺316

$8.27 €7.16

-19.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 ₺958

$15.57 €13.48

29.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺71.4

$2.53 €2.19

-40.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₺105

$1.74 €1.50

26.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₺60.5

$1.63 €1.41

-22.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₺75.5

$2.61 €2.26

-39.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺33.01

$1.82 €1.57

-62.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₺32.79

$1.83 €1.59

-62.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₺55.2

$1.52 €1.31

-23.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₺29.21

$0.64 €0.55

-4.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₺100

$7.11 €6.16

-70.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 ₺594

$4.67 €4.05

167.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₺106

$1.06 €0.92

110.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₺149

$2.38 €2.06

31.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ₺31.76

$1.41 €1.22

-52.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ₺2,609

$17.51 €15.16

213.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺50.1

$4.45 €3.85

-76.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺30.23

$0.98 €0.85

-34.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 ₺429

$15.33 €13.28

-41.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺54.6

$1.73 €1.50

-33.53%

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

$46.2K ₺2.2M

$39.0K €33.8K

18.32%

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

$42.6K ₺2.0M

$32.9K €28.5K

29.37%

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

$74.0 ₺3,518

$136 €118

-45.57%

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

$12.52 ₺595

$19.30 €16.71

-35.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.10 ₺718

$27.24 €23.59

-44.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 ₺2,955

$46.75 €40.49

32.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.36 ₺873

$14.77 €12.79

24.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 ₺366

$8.13 €7.04

-5.17%

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

$933 ₺44.4K

$576 €498

62.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺869.1K

$8,187 €7,090

123.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ₺2,684

$65.8 €57.0

-14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 ₺2,218

$21.92 €18.98

112.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 ₺5,312

$105 €90.6

6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₺5,010

$118 €102

-10.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 ₺45.0K

$747 €647

26.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₺29.1K

$602 €521

1.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺84.2K

$998 €864

77.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 ₺50.6K

$769 €666

38.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,079 ₺146.3K

$1,806 €1,564

70.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,695 ₺80.6K

$1,401 €1,213

21.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,195 ₺56.8K

$1,803 €1,561

-33.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

3.2

1413.44%

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

Last update for Istanbul: July 27, 2026

Last update for Castello de la Plana: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Istanbul versus $747 in Castello de la Plana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 51% higher in Castello de la Plana, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Istanbul versus $58.0 in Castello de la Plana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $271 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Castello de la Plana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,422 in Istanbul, $1,489 in Castello de la Plana – roughly 5% apart. Castello de la Plana costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,133 per month in Istanbul and $2,233 in Castello de la Plana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 213% less in Istanbul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $933 per month in Istanbul and $576 in Castello de la Plana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,422, than in Castello de la Plana at $1,489. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castello de la Plana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,422 in Istanbul to $1,489 in Castello de la Plana. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castello de la Plana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.