Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Corum Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Corum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,538 per month in Istanbul vs $1,012 in Corum, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $1,558 in Corum, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,241 per month in Istanbul vs $2,104 in Corum, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 52% more than Corum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Corum is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 ₺496

$7.44 ₺359

38.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₺2,506

$18.44 ₺890

181.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 ₺442

$7.44 ₺359

22.98%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₺203

$2.51 ₺121

67.33%

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

$1.68 ₺81.3

$1.38 ₺66.6

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.59

$0.43 ₺20.88

37.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ₺197

$1.84 ₺89.1

121.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 ₺291

$5.12 ₺247

17.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.1

$1.01 ₺48.97

20.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.61

$0.92 ₺44.49

2.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ₺114

$2.44 ₺118

-2.87%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺118

$2.78 ₺134

-11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 ₺521

$10.86 ₺524

-0.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺260

$3.94 ₺190

36.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.07 ₺1,017

$20.12 ₺971

4.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺95.3

$2.03 ₺98.0

-2.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ₺109

$1.92 ₺92.5

18.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ₺56.5

$0.96 ₺46.48

21.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 ₺93.8

$1.34 ₺64.8

44.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₺30.17

$0.42 ₺20.44

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₺27.18

$0.38 ₺18.53

47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺52.6

$0.91 ₺43.84

19.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺30.10

$0.73 ₺35.32

-15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺113

$2.04 ₺98.3

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 ₺661

$11.89 ₺574

15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₺117

$2.21 ₺107

9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₺162

$2.93 ₺142

14.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺42.97

$0.75 ₺36.35

18.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.7 ₺3,315

$34.10 ₺1,646

101.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₺66.2

$2.49 ₺120

-44.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 ₺42.93

$1.32 ₺63.6

-32.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺524

$5.94 ₺287

82.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₺65.9

$1.27 ₺61.3

7.87%

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

$52.1K ₺2.5M

$42.7K ₺2.1M

22.11%

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

$43.6K ₺2.1M

$40.8K ₺2.0M

7.06%

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

$90.0 ₺4,346

$70.3 ₺3,394

28.03%

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

$11.49 ₺555

$9.26 ₺447

24.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.30 ₺787

$12.32 ₺595

32.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₺3,449

$59.3 ₺2,861

20.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 ₺1,117

$9.11 ₺440

153.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 ₺391

$5.09 ₺246

58.94%

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

$989 ₺47.7K

$472 ₺22.8K

109.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K ₺1.3M

$8,022 ₺387.3K

244.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ₺2,589

$63.6 ₺3,068

-15.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 ₺1,953

$59.6 ₺2,875

-32.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,874

$115 ₺5,559

-12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ₺4,496

$57.2 ₺2,761

62.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ₺47.0K

$462 ₺22.3K

110.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₺31.0K

$353 ₺17.1K

81.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 ₺92.9K

$790 ₺38.1K

143.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 ₺56.9K

$581 ₺28.1K

102.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,080 ₺148.7K

$1,187 ₺57.3K

159.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,690 ₺81.6K

$1,019 ₺49.2K

65.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,219 ₺58.8K

$657 ₺31.7K

85.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

52.5

-21.73%

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

Last update for Istanbul: August 31, 2026

Last update for Corum: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 in Istanbul versus $462 in Corum. 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 85% higher in Istanbul, 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $18.00 in Corum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $240 – making Corum 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 Corum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,307 per month in Istanbul and $1,518 in Corum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Corum, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,538 in Istanbul and $1,012 in Corum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 101% less in Corum. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Corum, where all-in costs run around $1,012, than in Istanbul at $1,538. In Corum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Corum – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Corum. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.