Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Giresun Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Giresun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,452 in Istanbul versus $1,055 in Giresun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,224 in Istanbul versus $1,667 in Giresun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,996 in Istanbul versus $2,279 in Giresun.

Living in Istanbul is roughly 38% more expensive than Giresun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 ₺523

$7.67 ₺355

47.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₺2,393

$30.08 ₺1,392

71.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 ₺345

$7.74 ₺358

-3.62%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₺160

$2.84 ₺131

21.83%

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

$1.35 ₺62.4

$1.30 ₺60.2

3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.56

$0.46 ₺21.43

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 ₺177

$3.41 ₺158

12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 ₺241

$3.97 ₺184

31.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₺49.31

$1.02 ₺47.29

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺38.18

$0.78 ₺36.14

6.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺102

$2.30 ₺106

-3.91%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺120

$1.94 ₺89.7

33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 ₺477

$9.65 ₺446

6.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₺302

$5.52 ₺256

18.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.83 ₺917

$19.70 ₺912

0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.6

$1.25 ₺58.0

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ₺101

$2.08 ₺96.1

5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.8

$1.05 ₺48.58

22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ₺73.2

$1.33 ₺61.3

18.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₺35.06

$0.73 ₺34.00

4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.85

$0.60 ₺27.73

21.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺52.3

$0.86 ₺39.65

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺26.89

$0.49 ₺22.53

18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 ₺102

$2.15 ₺99.4

2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ₺566

$9.77 ₺452

25.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺98.2

$2.19 ₺101

-3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₺142

$2.99 ₺138

2.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.44

$0.66 ₺30.55

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₺2,469

$30.41 ₺1,407

75.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺50.5

$1.05 ₺48.77

3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺29.48

$0.16 ₺7.42

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₺417

$7.69 ₺356

17.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺53.3

$1.18 ₺54.4

-2.54%

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

$46.6K ₺2.2M

$43.2K ₺2.0M

7.77%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$43.9K ₺2.0M

-0.31%

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

$71.7 ₺3,315

$62.3 ₺2,883

14.99%

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

$12.49 ₺578

$10.98 ₺508

13.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 ₺696

$12.80 ₺592

17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ₺2,786

$43.77 ₺2,025

37.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ₺851

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 ₺355

$5.83 ₺270

31.39%

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

$935 ₺43.2K

$603 ₺27.9K

54.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₺824.6K

$8,996 ₺416.2K

98.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,585

$52.2 ₺2,413

7.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.37 ₺2,145

$44.39 ₺2,054

4.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,304

$104 ₺4,826

9.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,884

$89.9 ₺4,159

17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₺44.4K

$517 ₺23.9K

85.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₺28.6K

$393 ₺18.2K

56.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 ₺80.4K

$900 ₺41.6K

93.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ₺47.5K

$705 ₺32.6K

45.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 ₺143.3K

$1,406 ₺65.0K

120.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺77.0K

$1,023 ₺47.3K

62.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,170 ₺54.1K

$893 ₺41.3K

31.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

36.83

31.50%

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

Last update for Istanbul: June 7, 2026

Last update for Giresun: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $961 in Istanbul and $517 in Giresun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 31% 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: $52.0 in Istanbul vs $30.00 in Giresun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $229 per month, with Giresun 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 Giresun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul and Giresun differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,452 vs $1,055 including rent). Giresun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Istanbul pays 31% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $961 in Istanbul versus $517 in Giresun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Giresun – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $52.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,452 per month in Istanbul versus $1,055 in Giresun – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,055 in Giresun versus $1,452 in Istanbul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Giresun but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Giresun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Giresun 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 Giresun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.