Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Diyarbakir Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Diyarbakir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Istanbul vs $942 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,235 per month in Istanbul vs $1,387 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,020 per month in Istanbul vs $1,832 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 54% more than Diyarbakir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Diyarbakir is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.31 ₺509

$5.09 ₺229

122.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 ₺2,316

$19.25 ₺865

167.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 ₺336

$6.17 ₺277

21.07%

Cappuccino

$3.44 ₺155

$2.22 ₺99.6

54.95%

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

$1.35 ₺60.7

$1.01 ₺45.30

33.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺20.51

$0.24 ₺10.70

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 ₺176

$1.98 ₺89.0

97.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 ₺226

$2.49 ₺112

101.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.61

$1.04 ₺46.95

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 ₺34.69

$0.47 ₺21.28

63.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ₺97.7

$1.99 ₺89.6

9.05%

Eggs

$2.73 ₺123

$1.19 ₺53.6

129.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ₺453

$6.29 ₺283

60.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₺296

$2.47 ₺111

166.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.90 ₺894

$12.64 ₺568

57.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ₺65.3

$1.05 ₺47.20

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₺101

$1.56 ₺70.1

44.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺57.5

$0.79 ₺35.48

62.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺73.4

$0.73 ₺32.84

123.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₺34.26

$0.39 ₺17.68

94.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺32.75

$0.37 ₺16.57

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₺52.7

$0.65 ₺29.43

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺27.71

$0.36 ₺16.17

72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 ₺99.0

$2.08 ₺93.7

5.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 ₺547

$5.40 ₺243

125.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₺99.3

$1.98 ₺89.2

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₺137

$2.51 ₺113

21.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 ₺30.55

$0.63 ₺28.13

7.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ₺2,420

$30.58 ₺1,375

76.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺47.33

$0.75 ₺33.65

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₺26.66

$0.66 ₺29.65

-10.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₺402

$7.80 ₺351

14.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺51.8

$1.12 ₺50.2

2.68%

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

$45.8K ₺2.1M

$38.7K ₺1.7M

18.11%

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

$43.0K ₺1.9M

$42.7K ₺1.9M

0.76%

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

$71.5 ₺3,212

$73.8 ₺3,318

-3.20%

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

$12.33 ₺554

$7.56 ₺340

63.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ₺678

$12.55 ₺564

20.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ₺2,714

$43.60 ₺1,960

38.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 ₺854

$20.56 ₺924

-7.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 ₺335

$8.92 ₺401

-16.37%

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

$943 ₺42.4K

$217 ₺9,744

334.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺822.0K

$4,611 ₺207.2K

296.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₺2,549

$19.01 ₺855

198.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.49 ₺2,090

$25.44 ₺1,143

82.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,155

$77.0 ₺3,461

48.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₺4,683

$51.4 ₺2,311

102.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 ₺43.6K

$513 ₺23.0K

89.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 ₺28.3K

$398 ₺17.9K

58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 ₺78.5K

$871 ₺39.1K

100.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 ₺47.8K

$710 ₺31.9K

49.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,310 ₺148.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,691 ₺76.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 ₺52.3K

$946 ₺42.5K

23.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

30.89%

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

Last update for Istanbul: April 21, 2026

Last update for Diyarbakir: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $970 in Istanbul versus $513 in Diyarbakir. 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 23% 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 in Istanbul versus $19 in Diyarbakir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $153 – making Diyarbakir 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 Diyarbakir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,451 in Istanbul, $942 in Diyarbakir – roughly 54% apart. Istanbul costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,176 per month in Istanbul and $1,413 in Diyarbakir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 65% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Istanbul and $19.00 in Diyarbakir. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Diyarbakir, where all-in costs run around $942, than in Istanbul at $1,451. In Diyarbakir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul 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 $942 in Diyarbakir to $1,451 in Istanbul. 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 Diyarbakir. 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.