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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,431 per month in Istanbul vs $1,115 in Fethiye, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,191 per month in Istanbul vs $1,711 in Fethiye, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,952 per month in Istanbul vs $2,307 in Fethiye, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 28% more than Fethiye, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 7% above the global median, while Fethiye is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 ₺520

$7.76 ₺350

48.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,304

$45.21 ₺2,041

12.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 ₺343

$6.83 ₺308

11.27%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ₺164

$2.80 ₺126

29.64%

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

$1.35 ₺61.1

$1.62 ₺73.2

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.13

$1.05 ₺47.34

-55.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 ₺177

$3.07 ₺139

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺235

$4.03 ₺182

29.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.69

$0.90 ₺40.58

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.38

$0.97 ₺43.85

-14.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₺102

$1.54 ₺69.5

46.75%

Eggs

$2.71 ₺122

$1.71 ₺77.2

58.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ₺472

$7.99 ₺361

30.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₺297

$5.35 ₺241

23.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 ₺906

$19.15 ₺864

4.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ₺65.2

$1.11 ₺49.96

29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$2.09 ₺94.5

9.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺58.4

$1.08 ₺48.56

19.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺73.5

$1.14 ₺51.3

42.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.24

$0.55 ₺24.67

29.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.08

$0.42 ₺18.83

73.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₺52.6

$1.28 ₺57.6

-8.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺26.48

$0.32 ₺14.23

84.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺96.9

$1.98 ₺89.3

8.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 ₺541

$13.09 ₺591

-8.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺97.0

$1.70 ₺76.5

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₺136

$2.06 ₺93.1

46.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺32.32

$0.98 ₺44.27

-26.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 ₺2,396

$30.13 ₺1,360

76.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺49.28

$3.04 ₺137

-64.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺28.73

$1.11 ₺50.3

-42.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₺395

$7.39 ₺334

18.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.20 ₺54.1

0.83%

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

$44.8K ₺2.0M

$41.1K ₺1.9M

8.95%

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

$43.2K ₺1.9M

$42.4K ₺1.9M

1.74%

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

$71.4 ₺3,221

$46.76 ₺2,111

52.61%

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

$12.44 ₺562

$7.73 ₺349

60.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.58 ₺658

$15.29 ₺690

-4.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 ₺2,818

$38.45 ₺1,736

62.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.58 ₺839

$17.89 ₺807

3.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₺342

$6.54 ₺295

15.75%

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

$950 ₺42.9K

$291 ₺13.1K

226.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ₺814.5K

$16.5K ₺745.5K

9.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₺2,572

$77.3 ₺3,489

-26.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 ₺2,096

$44.24 ₺1,997

4.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₺5,108

$158 ₺7,137

-28.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₺4,869

$113 ₺5,091

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ₺44.3K

$590 ₺26.6K

66.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₺28.5K

$395 ₺17.8K

59.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 ₺79.8K

$864 ₺39.0K

104.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₺47.7K

$567 ₺25.6K

86.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,300 ₺149.0K

$2,048 ₺92.4K

61.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,659 ₺74.9K

$1,157 ₺52.2K

43.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,198 ₺54.1K

$1,033 ₺46.6K

15.93%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Fethiye: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Istanbul versus $590 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 16% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Istanbul versus $45.00 in Fethiye. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $218 – 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 28%, 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 $2,146 per month in Istanbul and $1,672 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 76% less in Fethiye. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $950 per month in Istanbul and $291 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 $1,115, than in Istanbul at $1,431. 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.