Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Eslov

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,668 in Eslov, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Eslov despite lower rent and utilities.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
82

Cost of Living Index in Eslov
Learn more

Eslov Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Eslov

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,668

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Eslov

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Istanbul and in Eslov actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,668 in Eslov.

Istanbul $1,550
Eslov $1,668

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $2,656 in Eslov.

Istanbul $2,415
Eslov $2,656

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $3,644 in Eslov.

Istanbul $3,281
Eslov $3,644

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 7% less than in Eslov, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 15% above, Eslov 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$13.06 SEK 129

-5.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$85.4 SEK 846

-35.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$11.86 SEK 117

-22.26%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.52 SEK 44.82

-2.65%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.69 SEK 26.64

-37.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$2.05 SEK 20.27

-71.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$7.10 SEK 70.4

-33.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$7.17 SEK 71.1

-17.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.62 SEK 16.05

-25.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$2.48 SEK 24.53

-64.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$3.50 SEK 34.68

-37.43%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.80 SEK 37.66

-38.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$11.98 SEK 119

-13.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$11.34 SEK 112

-50.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$16.33 SEK 162

28.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.98 SEK 29.53

-36.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.52 SEK 24.93

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.75 SEK 27.23

-53.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$4.57 SEK 45.26

-60.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.63 SEK 16.17

-60.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.41 SEK 13.92

-54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.99 SEK 19.74

-37.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.51 SEK 14.99

-62.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$7.73 SEK 76.6

-69.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$10.98 SEK 109

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.92 SEK 19.02

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.25 SEK 22.28

54.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$3.30 SEK 32.75

-73.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$77.3 SEK 766

-12.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$5.12 SEK 50.8

-74.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.06 SEK 10.54

-13.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$41.91 SEK 415

-73.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.79 SEK 17.77

-17.88%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$33.0K SEK 327.0K

53.87%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$32.7K SEK 324.0K

36.16%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$78.4 SEK 777

13.01%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$19.45 SEK 193

-40.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$33.06 SEK 328

-52.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$37.33 SEK 370

106.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$25.57 SEK 253

-11.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$15.17 SEK 150

-46.34%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$158 SEK 1,567

537.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$4,888 SEK 48.4K

422.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$86.2 SEK 854

-37.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$50.4 SEK 499

-18.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$98.2 SEK 973

0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$122 SEK 1,207

-20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$799 SEK 7,913

23.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$599 SEK 5,937

8.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,327 SEK 13.1K

49.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,024 SEK 10.1K

15.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$3,934 SEK 39.0K

-20.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,771 SEK 27.5K

-35.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

3.03

1250.50%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Eslov: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Eslov

$599 35.9% 7.8% $51

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Eslov

$346 20.7% 33.1% $86

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Eslov

$263 15.8% 17.9% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Eslov

$160 9.6% 22.9% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Eslov

$131 7.9% 12.9% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Eslov

$68 4.1% 27.6% $26

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Eslov

$101 6.1% 31.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $799 in Eslov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $85.0 in Eslov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $346 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇪 Eslov

🕒 Local time

08:27 8:27 AM

07:27 7:27 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

17,748

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Eslov 2,000 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Eslov

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Eslov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,325 in Istanbul and $2,502 in Eslov to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $799 in Eslov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Istanbul – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $85.0 in Eslov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $1,668 in Eslov – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,668 in Eslov, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Eslov. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Istanbul is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Eslov, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Eslov are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Eslov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.