Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Erzurum Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Erzurum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,422 per month in Istanbul vs $1,067 in Erzurum, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Istanbul vs $1,675 in Erzurum, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,971 per month in Istanbul vs $2,282 in Erzurum, rent included.

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

Istanbul sits 7% above the global median, while Erzurum is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 ₺533

$7.74 ₺368

44.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 ₺2,395

$30.76 ₺1,462

63.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₺353

$7.64 ₺363

-2.88%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ₺165

$2.81 ₺134

23.49%

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

$1.30 ₺61.9

$1.24 ₺59.1

4.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺23.43

$0.43 ₺20.41

13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₺179

$3.39 ₺161

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺247

$4.05 ₺193

28.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 ₺53.1

$1.00 ₺47.40

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₺38.19

$0.77 ₺36.79

3.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺105

$2.30 ₺109

-3.91%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺123

$1.88 ₺89.2

37.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ₺482

$9.53 ₺453

6.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 ₺316

$5.55 ₺264

19.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 ₺958

$19.17 ₺911

5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺71.4

$1.24 ₺58.8

20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₺105

$2.16 ₺103

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₺60.5

$1.07 ₺50.7

18.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₺75.5

$1.30 ₺62.0

22.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺33.01

$0.72 ₺34.29

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₺32.79

$0.61 ₺28.89

13.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₺55.2

$0.92 ₺43.96

26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₺29.21

$0.52 ₺24.80

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₺100

$2.15 ₺102

-1.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 ₺594

$9.47 ₺450

31.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₺106

$2.16 ₺103

3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₺149

$3.01 ₺143

3.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ₺31.76

$0.66 ₺31.59

1.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ₺2,609

$30.75 ₺1,462

78.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺50.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺30.23

$0.65 ₺31.12

-1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 ₺429

$7.77 ₺369

16.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺54.6

$1.19 ₺56.5

-3.36%

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

$46.2K ₺2.2M

$43.1K ₺2.1M

7.02%

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

$42.6K ₺2.0M

$42.7K ₺2.0M

-0.31%

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

$74.0 ₺3,518

$61.5 ₺2,925

20.28%

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

$12.52 ₺595

$10.93 ₺519

14.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.10 ₺718

$12.84 ₺610

17.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 ₺2,955

$43.69 ₺2,077

42.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.36 ₺873

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 ₺366

$5.66 ₺269

36.22%

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

$933 ₺44.4K

$619 ₺29.4K

50.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺869.1K

$8,891 ₺422.6K

105.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ₺2,684

$50.8 ₺2,416

11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 ₺2,218

$45.84 ₺2,179

1.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 ₺5,312

$101 ₺4,819

10.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₺5,010

$89.7 ₺4,264

17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 ₺45.0K

$508 ₺24.2K

86.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₺29.1K

$387 ₺18.4K

58.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺84.2K

$877 ₺41.7K

101.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 ₺50.6K

$711 ₺33.8K

49.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,079 ₺146.3K

$1,312 ₺62.4K

134.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,695 ₺80.6K

$839 ₺39.9K

102.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,195 ₺56.8K

$1,261 ₺59.9K

-5.24%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Erzurum: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Istanbul versus $508 in Erzurum. 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 6% higher in Erzurum, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Istanbul versus $31.00 in Erzurum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $227 – making Erzurum 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 Erzurum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,422 in Istanbul, $1,067 in Erzurum – roughly 33% apart. Istanbul costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,133 per month in Istanbul and $1,601 in Erzurum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Erzurum, 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 $50.0 in Istanbul and $31.00 in Erzurum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,422 in Istanbul and $1,067 in Erzurum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Erzurum, where all-in costs run around $1,067, than in Istanbul at $1,422. In Erzurum 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 $1,067 in Erzurum to $1,422 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 Erzurum. 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.