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: $1,431 in Istanbul versus $1,059 in Giresun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Istanbul versus $1,649 in Giresun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,952 in Istanbul versus $2,239 in Giresun.

Living in Istanbul is roughly 35% more expensive than Giresun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 7% above, Giresun is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 ₺520

$7.56 ₺341

52.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,304

$29.91 ₺1,350

70.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 ₺343

$7.78 ₺351

-2.31%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ₺164

$2.82 ₺127

28.72%

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

$1.35 ₺61.1

$1.26 ₺56.7

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.13

$0.44 ₺19.68

6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 ₺177

$3.39 ₺153

15.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺235

$4.01 ₺181

29.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.69

$0.96 ₺43.30

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.38

$0.79 ₺35.77

5.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₺102

Eggs

$2.71 ₺122

$1.94 ₺87.6

39.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ₺472

$9.31 ₺420

12.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₺297

$5.63 ₺254

17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 ₺906

$19.56 ₺883

2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ₺65.2

$1.28 ₺57.9

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$2.16 ₺97.5

6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺58.4

$1.05 ₺47.60

22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺73.5

$1.27 ₺57.2

28.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.24

$0.69 ₺31.07

2.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.08

$0.64 ₺28.84

14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₺52.6

$0.91 ₺41.00

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺26.48

$0.53 ₺24.14

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺96.9

$2.20 ₺99.3

-2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 ₺541

$7.84 ₺354

52.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺97.0

$2.18 ₺98.3

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₺136

$3.08 ₺139

-1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺32.32

$0.64 ₺28.71

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 ₺2,396

$30.41 ₺1,373

74.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺49.28

$1.04 ₺47.13

4.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺28.73

$0.13 ₺5.71

392.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₺395

$7.52 ₺340

16.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.23 ₺55.5

-1.63%

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

$44.8K ₺2.0M

$42.9K ₺1.9M

4.42%

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

$43.2K ₺1.9M

0.00%

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

$71.4 ₺3,221

$61.4 ₺2,773

16.16%

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

$12.44 ₺562

$10.79 ₺487

15.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.58 ₺658

$12.93 ₺584

12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 ₺2,818

$43.83 ₺1,979

42.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.58 ₺839

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₺342

$5.77 ₺260

31.20%

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

$950 ₺42.9K

$607 ₺27.4K

56.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ₺814.5K

$8,896 ₺401.6K

102.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₺2,572

$51.5 ₺2,326

10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 ₺2,096

$45.32 ₺2,046

2.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₺5,108

$104 ₺4,694

8.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₺4,869

$89.1 ₺4,023

21.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ₺44.3K

$517 ₺23.3K

90.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₺28.5K

$395 ₺17.8K

59.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 ₺79.8K

$886 ₺40.0K

99.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₺47.7K

$710 ₺32.0K

48.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,300 ₺149.0K

$1,499 ₺67.6K

120.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,659 ₺74.9K

$1,001 ₺45.2K

65.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,198 ₺54.1K

$900 ₺40.6K

33.04%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Giresun: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Istanbul and $517 in Giresun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 33% 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: $51.0 in Istanbul vs $30.00 in Giresun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $225 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,431 vs $1,059 including rent). Giresun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Istanbul pays 33% 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: $982 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 $51.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,431 per month in Istanbul versus $1,059 in Giresun – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,059 in Giresun versus $1,431 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 35% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.