Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Giresun

For one person, living is cheaper in Giresun: $960 a month against $1,516 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul, Turkey
Giresun, Turkey
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,516
/mo nomad
Giresun
🇹🇷 Turkey
$960
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Giresun

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,516 in Istanbul versus $960 in Giresun.

  • Istanbul $1,516
  • Giresun $960

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,356 in Istanbul versus $1,582 in Giresun.

  • Istanbul $2,356
  • Giresun $1,582

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,197 in Istanbul versus $2,205 in Giresun.

  • Istanbul $3,197
  • Giresun $2,205

Living in Istanbul is roughly 58% more expensive than in Giresun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 11% above, Giresun is 29% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.59 ₺577
$4.10 ₺204
182.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,725
$61.7 ₺3,074
-11.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.39 ₺468
$10.43 ₺520
-9.97%
Cappuccino
$4.23 ₺211
$3.97 ₺198
6.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₺85.6
$0.79 ₺39.29
117.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 ₺28.26
$0.31 ₺15.64
83.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.65 ₺232
$1.77 ₺88.2
162.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.84 ₺341
$1.99 ₺99.3
243.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 ₺60.0
$1.17 ₺58.6
2.56%
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 ₺46.97
$1.95 ₺97.4
-51.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ₺112
$2.71 ₺135
-17.34%
Eggs
$2.42 ₺121
$2.45 ₺122
-1.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.24 ₺510
$8.19 ₺408
25.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.38 ₺268
$5.80 ₺289
-7.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.19 ₺1,056
$27.05 ₺1,348
-21.66%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 ₺94.3
$2.30 ₺115
-17.83%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 ₺111
$2.41 ₺120
-7.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.26 ₺62.7
$1.45 ₺72.2
-13.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.81 ₺90.0
$1.04 ₺51.8
74.04%
Potato (1kg)
$0.70 ₺34.84
$0.47 ₺23.54
48.94%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺32.13
$0.33 ₺16.61
93.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 ₺60.9
$0.82 ₺40.85
48.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₺27.35
$0.68 ₺33.78
-19.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.32 ₺116
$2.08 ₺103
11.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.31 ₺663
$9.31 ₺464
42.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 ₺116
$1.68 ₺83.6
38.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 ₺172
$2.23 ₺111
55.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.91 ₺45.18
$0.67 ₺33.62
35.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.3 ₺3,306
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.2
$1.99 ₺99.1
-35.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 ₺42.66
$0.68 ₺33.78
26.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.09 ₺553
$6.29 ₺313
76.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ₺70.8
$1.33 ₺66.5
6.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.2K ₺2.5M
$41.6K ₺2.1M
18.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.8K ₺2.1M
$39.4K ₺2.0M
8.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.7 ₺4,373
$88.6 ₺4,415
-0.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ₺562
$12.48 ₺622
-9.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.89 ₺792
$12.27 ₺611
29.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$75.9 ₺3,783
$52.3 ₺2,607
45.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.04 ₺1,148
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.20 ₺409
$4.11 ₺205
99.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,028 ₺51.2K
$256 ₺12.8K
301.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.0K ₺1.3M
$10.9K ₺542.0K
138.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ₺2,658
$24.41 ₺1,217
118.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.69 ₺1,978
$30.59 ₺1,524
29.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 ₺4,972
$69.5 ₺3,465
43.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.5 ₺4,661
$59.7 ₺2,973
56.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,003 ₺50.0K
$417 ₺20.8K
140.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$628 ₺31.3K
$298 ₺14.8K
110.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,963 ₺97.8K
$770 ₺38.4K
154.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 ₺55.9K
$565 ₺28.2K
98.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,075 ₺153.2K
$1,389 ₺69.2K
121.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,753 ₺87.3K
$1,021 ₺50.9K
71.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Giresun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,180 ₺58.8K
$1,198 ₺59.7K
-1.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.69
49
-16.96%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 27, 2026

Last update for Giresun: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$628
Giresun
$298 52.6% $330
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$258
Giresun
$269 4% $10
Eating Out
Istanbul
$218
Giresun
$129 40.8% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Giresun
$83 35.7% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$115
Giresun
$113 1.4% $1.6
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$92
Giresun
$61 34.4% $32
Getting Around
Istanbul
$76
Giresun
$8.1 * 89.3% $67

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Istanbul and $417 in Giresun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55 in Istanbul vs $62 in Giresun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $269 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇹🇷 Giresun
🕒 Local time
04:02 4:02 AM
04:02 4:02 AM
Same time as Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
125,682
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Giresun 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Giresun

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 Giresun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Istanbul and in Giresun?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,516 in Istanbul and $960 in Giresun, so Giresun is about 37% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Istanbul compared to Giresun?
You’d need roughly $2,274 in Istanbul and $1,440 in Giresun to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Istanbul and in Giresun?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Istanbul versus $417 in Giresun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Istanbul and Giresun?
Childcare runs $1,028 in Istanbul versus $256 in Giresun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Istanbul – a meal for two runs $55 versus $62 in Giresun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $960 in Giresun versus $1,516 in Istanbul, a $1,200 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.
How does quality of life compare between Istanbul and Giresun?
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.
Is Istanbul or Giresun safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Istanbul and Giresun are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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