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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Istanbul vs $1,093 in Elazig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,235 per month in Istanbul vs $1,676 in Elazig, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,020 per month in Istanbul vs $2,259 in Elazig, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 33% more than Elazig, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Elazig is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.31 ₺508

$7.47 ₺336

51.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 ₺2,316

$30.35 ₺1,364

69.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 ₺336

$7.71 ₺346

-3.11%

Cappuccino

$3.44 ₺155

$2.85 ₺128

20.70%

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

$1.35 ₺60.6

$1.28 ₺57.7

5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺20.51

$0.47 ₺21.23

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 ₺176

$3.53 ₺158

10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 ₺226

$3.86 ₺173

30.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.60

$1.01 ₺45.48

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 ₺34.68

$0.74 ₺33.27

4.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ₺97.7

$2.22 ₺99.6

-2.25%

Eggs

$2.73 ₺123

$1.87 ₺84.2

45.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ₺453

$9.68 ₺435

4.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₺296

$5.49 ₺247

20.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.90 ₺894

$19.05 ₺856

4.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ₺65.3

$1.25 ₺56.0

16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 ₺101

$2.16 ₺97.0

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺57.5

$1.10 ₺49.44

16.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺73.4

$1.32 ₺59.5

23.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₺34.25

$0.73 ₺32.96

4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺32.75

$0.65 ₺29.22

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₺52.7

$0.85 ₺38.15

37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺27.71

$0.50 ₺22.44

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 ₺98.9

$2.21 ₺99.2

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 ₺546

$10.82 ₺486

12.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₺99.3

$2.10 ₺94.5

5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₺137

$3.08 ₺138

-0.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 ₺30.55

$0.67 ₺29.90

1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ₺2,419

$30.93 ₺1,390

74.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺47.32

$1.05 ₺46.98

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ₺26.65

$0.64 ₺28.78

-7.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₺402

$7.60 ₺342

17.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺51.8

$1.22 ₺55.0

-5.74%

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

$45.8K ₺2.1M

$42.9K ₺1.9M

6.76%

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

$43.0K ₺1.9M

0.11%

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

$71.5 ₺3,211

$61.6 ₺2,766

16.08%

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

$12.33 ₺554

$10.92 ₺491

12.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ₺678

$12.63 ₺568

19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ₺2,713

$43.94 ₺1,975

37.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 ₺853

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 ₺335

$5.64 ₺253

32.27%

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

$943 ₺42.4K

$604 ₺27.1K

56.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺821.8K

$8,918 ₺400.8K

105.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₺2,549

$52.6 ₺2,363

7.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.49 ₺2,089

$44.99 ₺2,022

3.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,154

$103 ₺4,645

10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ₺4,682

$90.4 ₺4,063

15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 ₺43.6K

$523 ₺23.5K

85.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 ₺28.3K

$387 ₺17.4K

62.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 ₺78.5K

$886 ₺39.8K

97.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 ₺47.8K

$699 ₺31.4K

52.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,310 ₺148.8K

$1,356 ₺60.9K

144.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,691 ₺76.0K

$943 ₺42.4K

79.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 ₺52.3K

$957 ₺43.0K

21.56%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Elazig: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $970 in Istanbul versus $523 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 22% 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 $30 in Elazig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $229 – 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 33%, 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 $2,176 per month in Istanbul and $1,640 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 $1,451 in Istanbul and $1,093 in Elazig. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 74% 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 $1,093, than in Istanbul at $1,451. 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.