Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Eskisehir Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Eskisehir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,451 in Istanbul versus $1,055 in Eskisehir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,235 in Istanbul versus $1,651 in Eskisehir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,020 in Istanbul versus $2,248 in Eskisehir.

Living in Istanbul is roughly 38% more expensive than Eskisehir, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 8% above, Eskisehir is 21% below.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.31 โ‚บ509
$7.67 โ‚บ345
47.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.5 โ‚บ2,320
$26.88 โ‚บ1,210
91.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.47 โ‚บ336
$7.64 โ‚บ344
-2.23%
Cappuccino
$3.44 โ‚บ155
$3.28 โ‚บ148
4.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 โ‚บ60.7
$1.29 โ‚บ58.2
4.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 โ‚บ20.54
$0.50 โ‚บ22.57
-8.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.91 โ‚บ176
$3.89 โ‚บ175
0.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.02 โ‚บ226
$5.11 โ‚บ230
-1.76%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 โ‚บ49.69
$0.94 โ‚บ42.37
17.02%
White Bread (500g)
$0.77 โ‚บ34.74
$0.78 โ‚บ35.15
-1.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 โ‚บ97.9
$2.19 โ‚บ98.7
-0.91%
Eggs
$2.73 โ‚บ123
$1.94 โ‚บ87.2
40.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.07 โ‚บ453
$10.23 โ‚บ461
-1.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.59 โ‚บ297
$5.92 โ‚บ267
11.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.90 โ‚บ896
$20.15 โ‚บ907
-1.24%
Apples (1kg)
$1.45 โ‚บ65.4
$1.51 โ‚บ67.9
-3.97%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 โ‚บ101
$2.20 โ‚บ99.1
2.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 โ‚บ57.6
$1.33 โ‚บ59.7
-3.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.63 โ‚บ73.5
$1.59 โ‚บ71.6
2.52%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 โ‚บ34.31
$0.74 โ‚บ33.47
2.70%
Onion (1kg)
$0.73 โ‚บ32.81
$0.68 โ‚บ30.80
7.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 โ‚บ52.7
$0.86 โ‚บ38.76
36.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 โ‚บ27.76
$0.58 โ‚บ26.24
6.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 โ‚บ99.1
$2.12 โ‚บ95.4
3.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.16 โ‚บ547
$14.11 โ‚บ635
-13.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.21 โ‚บ99.5
$2.22 โ‚บ100
-0.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 โ‚บ137
$3.02 โ‚บ136
0.99%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 โ‚บ30.60
$0.61 โ‚บ27.25
11.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.8 โ‚บ2,424
$14.02 โ‚บ631
284.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 โ‚บ47.40
$1.05 โ‚บ47.34
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.59 โ‚บ26.70
$0.69 โ‚บ31.16
-14.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.94 โ‚บ403
$9.02 โ‚บ406
-0.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 โ‚บ51.9
$1.19 โ‚บ53.7
-3.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.8K โ‚บ2.1M
$45.1K โ‚บ2.0M
1.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.0K โ‚บ1.9M
$43.8K โ‚บ2.0M
-1.79%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.5 โ‚บ3,217
$41.76 โ‚บ1,880
71.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.33 โ‚บ555
$12.46 โ‚บ561
-1.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.09 โ‚บ680
$12.48 โ‚บ562
20.91%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.4 โ‚บ2,718
$31.98 โ‚บ1,440
88.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.99 โ‚บ855
$25.10 โ‚บ1,130
-24.34%
Cinema Ticket
$7.46 โ‚บ336
$4.84 โ‚บ218
54.13%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$943 โ‚บ42.4K
$648 โ‚บ29.2K
45.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.3K โ‚บ823.3K
$7,776 โ‚บ350.1K
135.18%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7 โ‚บ2,553
$51.9 โ‚บ2,336
9.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.49 โ‚บ2,093
$46.74 โ‚บ2,104
-0.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 โ‚บ5,163
$111 โ‚บ5,019
2.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 โ‚บ4,690
$90.4 โ‚บ4,071
15.19%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$970 โ‚บ43.7K
$468 โ‚บ21.1K
107.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$630 โ‚บ28.3K
$375 โ‚บ16.9K
67.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,746 โ‚บ78.6K
$974 โ‚บ43.9K
79.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,064 โ‚บ47.9K
$733 โ‚บ33.0K
45.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,310 โ‚บ149.0K
$1,197 โ‚บ53.9K
176.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,691 โ‚บ76.1K
$748 โ‚บ33.7K
126.02%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Eskisehir
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,164 โ‚บ52.4K
$1,080 โ‚บ48.6K
7.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
48.43
36.83
31.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Istanbul: April 21, 2026

Last update for Eskisehir: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Istanbul and $468 in Eskisehir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52 in Istanbul vs $27 in Eskisehir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $248 per month, with Eskisehir cheaper across the board.

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 Eskisehir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eskisehir cheaper than Istanbul?
Eskisehir is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Istanbul or Eskisehir?
Istanbul pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Istanbul and Eskisehir?
Rent for a central apartment: $970 in Istanbul versus $468 in Eskisehir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $943 in Istanbul versus $648 in Eskisehir. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and Eskisehir?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Istanbul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Istanbul or Eskisehir?
At $1,055 in Eskisehir versus $1,451 in Istanbul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Eskisehir but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Eskisehir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Istanbul or Eskisehir more family-friendly?
For families, Eskisehir is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Istanbul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Eskisehir?
Safety-wise, Istanbul and Eskisehir are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Eskisehir gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 38% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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