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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,452 per month in Istanbul vs $1,097 in Erzurum, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,224 per month in Istanbul vs $1,665 in Erzurum, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,996 per month in Istanbul vs $2,233 in Erzurum, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 32% more than Erzurum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 ₺523

$7.76 ₺359

45.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₺2,393

$30.71 ₺1,421

68.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 ₺345

$7.50 ₺347

-0.53%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₺160

$2.87 ₺133

20.56%

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

$1.35 ₺62.4

$1.28 ₺59.2

5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.56

$0.47 ₺21.63

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 ₺177

$3.58 ₺165

6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 ₺241

$4.03 ₺187

29.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₺49.31

$0.94 ₺43.71

13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺38.18

$0.75 ₺34.47

10.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺102

Eggs

$2.59 ₺120

$1.91 ₺88.4

35.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 ₺477

$9.42 ₺436

9.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₺302

$5.72 ₺265

14.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.83 ₺917

$19.34 ₺895

2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.6

$1.26 ₺58.2

19.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ₺101

$2.08 ₺96.3

5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.8

$1.10 ₺50.8

17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ₺73.2

$1.31 ₺60.5

20.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₺35.06

$0.74 ₺34.24

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.85

$0.60 ₺27.64

21.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺52.3

$0.93 ₺43.21

21.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺26.89

$0.52 ₺24.18

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 ₺102

$2.21 ₺102

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ₺566

$11.23 ₺519

8.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺98.2

$2.07 ₺95.6

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₺142

$2.97 ₺138

3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.44

$0.67 ₺30.92

7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₺2,469

$30.23 ₺1,398

76.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺50.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺29.48

$0.62 ₺28.47

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₺417

$7.51 ₺348

19.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺53.3

$1.23 ₺56.7

-6.50%

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

$46.6K ₺2.2M

$43.8K ₺2.0M

6.45%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$44.3K ₺2.0M

-1.16%

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

$71.7 ₺3,315

$61.1 ₺2,829

17.21%

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

$12.49 ₺578

$10.99 ₺509

13.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 ₺696

$12.74 ₺589

18.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ₺2,786

$43.13 ₺1,995

39.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ₺851

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 ₺355

$5.69 ₺263

34.62%

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

$935 ₺43.2K

$618 ₺28.6K

51.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₺824.6K

$8,914 ₺412.4K

99.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,585

$51.5 ₺2,384

8.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.37 ₺2,145

$45.39 ₺2,100

2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,304

$101 ₺4,689

13.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,884

$91.4 ₺4,228

15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₺44.4K

$517 ₺23.9K

85.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₺28.6K

$387 ₺17.9K

59.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 ₺80.4K

$901 ₺41.7K

92.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ₺47.5K

$703 ₺32.5K

46.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 ₺143.3K

$1,293 ₺59.8K

139.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺77.0K

$936 ₺43.3K

77.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,170 ₺54.1K

$1,286 ₺59.5K

-8.99%

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 Erzurum: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Istanbul versus $517 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 10% 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $31.00 in Erzurum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $230 – 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: $1,452 in Istanbul, $1,097 in Erzurum – roughly 32% apart. Istanbul costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,178 per month in Istanbul and $1,645 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 $52.0 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 $1,452 in Istanbul and $1,097 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 $1,097, than in Istanbul at $1,452. 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 $1,097 in Erzurum to $1,452 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.