Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Fethiye Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Fethiye

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,422 per month in Istanbul vs $1,121 in Fethiye, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Istanbul vs $1,705 in Fethiye, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,971 per month in Istanbul vs $2,289 in Fethiye, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 27% more than Fethiye, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 7% above the global median, while Fethiye is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 ₺531

$7.84 ₺371

43.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 ₺2,386

$46.37 ₺2,196

8.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₺352

$6.81 ₺322

8.96%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ₺164

$2.68 ₺127

29.48%

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

$1.30 ₺61.7

$1.67 ₺78.9

-22.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺23.34

$1.05 ₺49.82

-53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₺178

$3.14 ₺149

19.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺246

$4.17 ₺198

24.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 ₺52.9

$0.87 ₺41.26

28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₺38.06

$1.00 ₺47.20

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺105

$1.48 ₺70.1

49.32%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺123

$1.69 ₺80.1

53.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ₺480

$8.19 ₺388

23.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 ₺315

$5.26 ₺249

26.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 ₺954

$19.00 ₺900

6.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺71.1

$1.11 ₺52.4

35.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₺104

$2.06 ₺97.6

6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₺60.3

$1.04 ₺49.47

22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₺75.2

$1.14 ₺53.9

39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺32.89

$0.59 ₺27.71

16.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₺32.67

$0.44 ₺20.99

56.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₺55.0

$1.27 ₺60.3

-8.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₺29.10

$0.31 ₺14.89

96.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₺100

$2.04 ₺96.7

3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 ₺591

$12.47 ₺590

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₺106

$1.64 ₺77.5

35.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₺148

$2.11 ₺100

48.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ₺31.64

$0.98 ₺46.32

-31.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ₺2,600

$29.99 ₺1,421

83.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺49.93

$3.12 ₺148

-66.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺30.13

$1.11 ₺52.4

-42.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 ₺427

$7.72 ₺366

16.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺54.4

$1.26 ₺59.5

-8.73%

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

$46.2K ₺2.2M

$40.8K ₺1.9M

13.18%

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

$42.6K ₺2.0M

$42.7K ₺2.0M

-0.18%

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

$74.0 ₺3,506

$48.28 ₺2,287

53.31%

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

$12.52 ₺593

$8.04 ₺381

55.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.10 ₺715

$15.55 ₺736

-2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 ₺2,944

$38.08 ₺1,804

63.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.36 ₺870

$18.23 ₺864

0.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 ₺365

$6.32 ₺299

21.99%

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

$933 ₺44.2K

$292 ₺13.8K

220.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺866.1K

$16.5K ₺779.5K

11.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ₺2,674

$75.9 ₺3,594

-25.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 ₺2,210

$45.84 ₺2,171

1.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 ₺5,293

$162 ₺7,671

-31.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₺4,992

$111 ₺5,274

-5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 ₺44.8K

$585 ₺27.7K

61.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₺29.0K

$397 ₺18.8K

54.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺83.9K

$835 ₺39.6K

112.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 ₺50.4K

$558 ₺26.4K

90.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,079 ₺145.8K

$2,063 ₺97.7K

49.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,695 ₺80.3K

$1,185 ₺56.1K

43.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,195 ₺56.6K

$1,211 ₺57.3K

-1.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

42.08

15.09%

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

Last update for Istanbul: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fethiye: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Istanbul versus $585 in Fethiye. 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 1% higher in Fethiye, 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 $46.00 in Fethiye. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $216 – making Fethiye 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 Fethiye: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 27%, 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 $2,133 per month in Istanbul and $1,682 in Fethiye. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fethiye, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 83% less in Fethiye. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $933 per month in Istanbul and $292 in Fethiye. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Fethiye, where all-in costs run around $1,121, than in Istanbul at $1,422. In Fethiye it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fethiye – 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 Fethiye. 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.