Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Diyarbakir

For one person, living is cheaper in Diyarbakir: $1,035 a month against $1,516 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Diyarbakir
Learn more

Diyarbakir Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,516

/mo nomad

Diyarbakir

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,035

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir

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

A single person spends $1,516 per month in Istanbul vs $1,035 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

Istanbul $1,516
Diyarbakir $1,035

A couple spends around $2,356 per month in Istanbul vs $1,533 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

Istanbul $2,356
Diyarbakir $1,533

A family of three spends $3,197 per month in Istanbul vs $2,031 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

Istanbul $3,197
Diyarbakir $2,031

Istanbul costs about 46% more than Diyarbakir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 11% above the global median, while Diyarbakir is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 ₺577

$4.64 ₺231

149.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,725

$19.95 ₺994

174.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ₺468

$8.70 ₺434

7.93%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₺211

$3.39 ₺169

24.78%

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

$1.72 ₺85.6

$1.09 ₺54.3

57.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺28.26

$0.32 ₺15.93

78.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 ₺232

$2.98 ₺149

56.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 ₺341

$3.56 ₺177

92.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₺60.0

$0.90 ₺44.62

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺46.97

$0.62 ₺30.94

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ₺112

$0.99 ₺49.21

126.26%

Eggs

$2.42 ₺121

$1.83 ₺91.2

32.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ₺510

$6.78 ₺338

51.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺268

$5.76 ₺287

-6.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.19 ₺1,056

$15.95 ₺795

32.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₺94.3

$1.31 ₺65.5

44.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 ₺111

$1.52 ₺75.6

46.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₺62.7

$0.76 ₺38.05

65.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₺90.0

$1.01 ₺50.3

79.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₺34.84

$0.55 ₺27.32

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.13

$0.45 ₺22.42

42.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₺60.9

$0.77 ₺38.22

58.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₺27.35

$0.52 ₺26.10

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺116

$2.17 ₺108

6.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ₺663

$5.94 ₺296

124.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₺116

$2.18 ₺109

6.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₺172

$3.64 ₺181

-4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₺45.18

$0.48 ₺24.09

89.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.3 ₺3,306

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.2

$0.70 ₺34.81

84.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₺42.66

$0.58 ₺29.12

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺553

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ₺70.8

$1.30 ₺64.9

9.23%

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

$49.2K ₺2.5M

$41.8K ₺2.1M

17.67%

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

$42.8K ₺2.1M

$38.2K ₺1.9M

11.97%

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

$87.7 ₺4,373

$90.7 ₺4,521

-3.27%

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

$11.28 ₺562

$10.08 ₺503

11.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺792

$15.85 ₺790

0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 ₺3,783

$78.9 ₺3,932

-3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.04 ₺1,148

$40.59 ₺2,023

-43.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₺409

$5.38 ₺268

52.42%

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

$1,028 ₺51.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,658

$54.7 ₺2,726

-2.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.69 ₺1,978

$49.78 ₺2,481

-20.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 ₺4,972

$96.5 ₺4,808

3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,661

$107 ₺5,335

-12.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 ₺50.0K

$406 ₺20.2K

147.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 ₺31.3K

$364 ₺18.1K

72.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 ₺97.8K

$696 ₺34.7K

182.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 ₺55.9K

$570 ₺28.4K

96.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 ₺153.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,753 ₺87.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 ₺58.8K

$822 ₺41.0K

43.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

40.31%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 27, 2026

Last update for Diyarbakir: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$628 41.5%

Diyarbakir

$364 35.2% 42% $264

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Diyarbakir

$189 18.3% 26.7% $69

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.4%

Diyarbakir

$132 12.7% 39.6% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Diyarbakir

$139 13.4% 7.6% $9.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$115 7.6%

Diyarbakir

$117 11.3% 1.5% $1.7

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$92 6.1%

Diyarbakir

$90 8.7% 2.9% $2.7

Getting Around

Istanbul

$76 5%

Diyarbakir

$5.6 * 0.5% 92.7% $70

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Istanbul versus $406 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 43% 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 $55 in Istanbul versus $20 in Diyarbakir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $189 – making Diyarbakir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇷 Diyarbakir

🕒 Local time

22:40 10:40 PM

Same time as Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

1,804,880

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.01 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 TRY = 2.01 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Diyarbakir 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Diyarbakir

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 Diyarbakir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,516 in Istanbul, $1,035 in Diyarbakir – Diyarbakir comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,274 per month in Istanbul and $1,553 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $406 there versus $1,003 in Istanbul.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul and $20 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 $1,516 in Istanbul and $1,035 in Diyarbakir. That makes Diyarbakir about 32% cheaper.

$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,516 in Istanbul and $1,035 in Diyarbakir, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,035 in Diyarbakir to $1,516 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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