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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Istanbul vs $1,017 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,338 per month in Istanbul vs $1,504 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in Istanbul vs $1,991 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 47% more than Diyarbakir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Diyarbakir is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ₺492

$4.94 ₺240

105.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₺2,461

$20.83 ₺1,011

143.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 ₺441

$7.28 ₺354

24.86%

Cappuccino

$4.05 ₺197

$3.13 ₺152

29.39%

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

$1.74 ₺84.3

$0.97 ₺47.25

79.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺27.70

$0.22 ₺10.67

159.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 ₺197

$3.04 ₺148

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₺293

$3.54 ₺172

70.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.4

$0.91 ₺44.07

34.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.81

$0.64 ₺31.11

46.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₺118

$1.00 ₺48.70

144.00%

Eggs

$2.46 ₺119

$1.82 ₺88.2

35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₺500

$7.20 ₺350

43.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₺260

$3.43 ₺167

55.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.09 ₺1,024

$16.52 ₺802

27.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺95.9

$1.36 ₺66.2

44.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ₺109

$1.63 ₺79.3

37.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₺58.5

$0.79 ₺38.52

51.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ₺93.3

$0.94 ₺45.65

104.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₺28.65

$0.59 ₺28.80

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₺25.04

$0.53 ₺25.70

-1.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺53.0

$0.82 ₺39.67

32.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.62

$0.45 ₺21.64

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 ₺113

$2.29 ₺111

1.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 ₺643

$6.03 ₺293

119.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺116

$2.28 ₺111

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₺165

$3.67 ₺178

-7.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₺41.57

$0.50 ₺24.41

72.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 ₺3,298

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₺63.5

$0.71 ₺34.27

84.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺44.88

$0.60 ₺29.16

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.72 ₺520

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₺66.8

$1.25 ₺60.9

10.40%

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

$50.7K ₺2.5M

$43.2K ₺2.1M

17.27%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$39.2K ₺1.9M

13.34%

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

$88.6 ₺4,302

$92.8 ₺4,507

-4.54%

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

$11.48 ₺557

$10.23 ₺497

12.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.51 ₺802

$10.83 ₺526

52.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 ₺3,361

$82.3 ₺3,997

-15.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 ₺1,138

$42.00 ₺2,039

-44.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.37 ₺407

$3.80 ₺185

120.26%

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

$978 ₺47.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K ₺1.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ₺2,624

$58.0 ₺2,818

-6.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.94 ₺1,890

$51.8 ₺2,515

-24.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,881

$101 ₺4,918

-0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ₺4,583

$111 ₺5,403

-15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₺48.1K

$421 ₺20.4K

135.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 ₺31.0K

$365 ₺17.7K

74.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 ₺94.5K

$719 ₺34.9K

170.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₺55.5K

$578 ₺28.0K

98.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 ₺144.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,694 ₺82.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 ₺58.1K

$846 ₺41.1K

41.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.26

42.28%

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

Last update for Istanbul: September 5, 2026

Last update for Diyarbakir: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $991 in Istanbul versus $421 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 41% 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 $51.0 in Istanbul versus $21.00 in Diyarbakir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $182 – 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: $1,494 in Istanbul, $1,017 in Diyarbakir – roughly 47% apart. Istanbul costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,242 per month in Istanbul and $1,526 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Istanbul and $21.00 in Diyarbakir. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,494 in Istanbul and $1,017 in Diyarbakir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Diyarbakir, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Istanbul at $1,494. 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 $1,017 in Diyarbakir to $1,494 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.