Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Fuenlabrada

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,714 in Fuenlabrada, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Fuenlabrada
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,714
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Fuenlabrada

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 Fuenlabrada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,714 in Fuenlabrada.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Fuenlabrada $1,714

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $2,551 in Fuenlabrada.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Fuenlabrada $2,551

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $3,389 in Fuenlabrada.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Fuenlabrada $3,389

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 10% less than in Fuenlabrada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 15% above, Fuenlabrada 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$16.51 €14.68
-25.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$68.6 €61.0
-20.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$11.30 €10.05
-18.41%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$2.00 €1.78
120.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$3.30 €2.94
-49.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$1.88 €1.68
-68.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$3.41 €3.03
37.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$4.66 €4.14
26.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.14 €1.01
6.14%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.02 €0.90
-12.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.96 €1.74
11.73%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$3.97 €3.53
-40.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$18.13 €16.13
-42.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$9.40 €8.36
-39.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$20.96 €18.64
-0.10%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$2.81 €2.50
-32.38%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$2.37 €2.11
-2.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$2.51 €2.23
-49.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$2.76 €2.46
-34.78%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$2.15 €1.91
-69.77%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$2.15 €1.91
-70.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.51 €1.34
-17.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.56 €0.50
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$6.00 €5.33
-60.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$7.79 €6.93
72.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.11 €0.98
116.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$2.26 €2.01
53.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$1.48 €1.32
-39.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$32.41 €28.83
108.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$3.82 €3.40
-66.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.49 €1.33
-38.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$23.06 €20.51
-52.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.82 €1.62
-19.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$35.1K €31.2K
44.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$29.6K €26.3K
50.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$191 €170
-53.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$18.04 €16.04
-35.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$33.47 €29.77
-52.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$44.07 €39.20
75.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$15.42 €13.72
47.47%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$10.03 €8.92
-18.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$183 €163
450.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$5,962 €5,303
328.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$74.1 €65.9
-27.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$36.71 €32.65
11.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$78.6 €70.0
25.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$93.9 €83.5
2.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$881 €784
11.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$682 €607
-4.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$1,340 €1,192
48.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$1,034 €919
14.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$3,268 €2,907
-3.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$2,240 €1,992
-20.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Fuenlabrada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$1,691 €1,504
-28.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
3.08
1228.57%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Fuenlabrada: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Fuenlabrada
$682 5% $33
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Fuenlabrada
$311 19.7% $51
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Fuenlabrada
$237 6.2% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Fuenlabrada
$127 2.4% $3.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Fuenlabrada
$242 109% $126
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Fuenlabrada
$64 31.4% $29
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Fuenlabrada
$50 35.4% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $881 in Fuenlabrada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fuenlabrada pays 40% 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: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $69.0 in Fuenlabrada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $311 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇪🇸 Fuenlabrada
🕒 Local time
10:22 10:22 AM
09:22 9:22 AM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
188,736
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Fuenlabrada 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Fuenlabrada

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 Fuenlabrada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fuenlabrada cheaper than Istanbul?
Istanbul is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Istanbul or Fuenlabrada?
On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Fuenlabrada. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Istanbul and Fuenlabrada?
Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $881 in Fuenlabrada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Istanbul or in Fuenlabrada?
Dining out is cheaper in Istanbul – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $69.0 in Fuenlabrada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Istanbul and in Fuenlabrada?
All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $1,714 in Fuenlabrada – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Fuenlabrada?
At $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,714 in Fuenlabrada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Fuenlabrada. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Istanbul or Fuenlabrada more family-friendly?
For families, Istanbul is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fuenlabrada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Fuenlabrada?
Safety-wise, Istanbul and Fuenlabrada 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 Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Fuenlabrada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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