Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Elazig Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Elazig

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,452 per month in Istanbul vs $1,087 in Elazig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,224 per month in Istanbul vs $1,668 in Elazig, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,996 per month in Istanbul vs $2,249 in Elazig, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 34% more than Elazig, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Elazig is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 ₺521

$7.60 ₺350

48.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₺2,385

$30.83 ₺1,422

67.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 ₺344

$7.45 ₺344

0.13%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₺160

$2.81 ₺130

23.13%

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

$1.35 ₺62.1

$1.30 ₺59.8

3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.48

$0.46 ₺21.41

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 ₺177

$3.52 ₺162

8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 ₺241

$3.83 ₺177

36.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₺49.14

$0.95 ₺43.63

12.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺38.04

$0.79 ₺36.50

5.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺102

$2.19 ₺101

0.91%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺119

$1.88 ₺86.6

37.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 ₺476

$9.37 ₺432

10.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₺301

$5.72 ₺264

14.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.83 ₺914

$19.39 ₺894

2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.3

$1.25 ₺57.6

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ₺101

$2.15 ₺99.0

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.6

$1.09 ₺50.4

18.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ₺73.0

$1.32 ₺60.9

19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₺34.94

$0.73 ₺33.59

4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.74

$0.63 ₺29.24

15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺52.1

$0.91 ₺42.00

24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺26.79

$0.49 ₺22.48

18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 ₺102

$2.10 ₺96.7

4.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ₺564

$10.95 ₺505

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺97.9

$2.17 ₺99.9

-2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₺141

$3.14 ₺145

-2.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.33

$0.63 ₺29.07

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₺2,460

$30.20 ₺1,392

76.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺50.3

$1.09 ₺50.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺29.38

$0.65 ₺30.06

-1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₺415

$7.58 ₺349

18.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺53.1

$1.21 ₺56.0

-4.96%

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

$46.6K ₺2.1M

$43.1K ₺2.0M

8.16%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$43.0K ₺2.0M

1.72%

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

$71.7 ₺3,304

$61.4 ₺2,829

16.79%

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

$12.49 ₺576

$10.66 ₺491

17.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 ₺694

$13.02 ₺600

15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ₺2,776

$42.91 ₺1,978

40.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ₺849

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 ₺353

$5.61 ₺259

36.54%

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

$935 ₺43.1K

$618 ₺28.5K

51.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₺821.8K

$8,864 ₺408.6K

101.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,577

$52.0 ₺2,398

7.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.37 ₺2,138

$44.43 ₺2,048

4.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,285

$101 ₺4,667

13.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,867

$91.2 ₺4,203

15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₺44.3K

$518 ₺23.9K

85.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₺28.5K

$393 ₺18.1K

56.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 ₺80.2K

$902 ₺41.6K

92.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ₺47.4K

$708 ₺32.6K

45.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 ₺142.8K

$1,496 ₺69.0K

107.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺76.7K

$818 ₺37.7K

103.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,170 ₺53.9K

$918 ₺42.3K

27.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

36.83

31.50%

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

Last update for Istanbul: June 7, 2026

Last update for Elazig: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Istanbul versus $518 in Elazig. 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 27% 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 $31.00 in Elazig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $231 – making Elazig 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 Elazig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 34%, 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 $2,178 per month in Istanbul and $1,631 in Elazig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elazig, 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 $1,452 in Istanbul and $1,087 in Elazig. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 77% less in Elazig. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elazig, where all-in costs run around $1,087, than in Istanbul at $1,452. In Elazig it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elazig – 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 Elazig. 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.