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: $1,422 in Istanbul versus $1,097 in Giresun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,196 in Istanbul versus $1,687 in Giresun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,971 in Istanbul versus $2,276 in Giresun.

Living in Istanbul is roughly 30% more expensive than in Giresun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 7% above, Giresun is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 ₺531

$7.47 ₺354

50.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 ₺2,386

$29.78 ₺1,410

69.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ₺352

$7.44 ₺352

-0.27%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ₺164

$2.84 ₺135

22.18%

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

$1.30 ₺61.7

$1.26 ₺59.5

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺23.34

$0.43 ₺20.32

13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₺178

$3.48 ₺165

8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺246

$4.02 ₺191

29.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 ₺52.9

$0.95 ₺44.91

17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₺38.06

$0.78 ₺36.97

2.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺105

Eggs

$2.59 ₺123

$1.95 ₺92.4

32.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 ₺480

$9.69 ₺459

4.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 ₺315

$5.70 ₺270

16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 ₺954

$19.33 ₺916

4.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺71.1

$1.29 ₺60.9

16.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₺104

$2.16 ₺102

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₺60.3

$1.05 ₺49.91

20.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₺75.2

$1.30 ₺61.6

22.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺32.89

$0.69 ₺32.62

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₺32.67

$0.61 ₺28.67

13.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₺55.0

$0.92 ₺43.71

26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₺29.10

$0.49 ₺23.20

24.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₺100

$2.11 ₺99.8

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 ₺591

$9.59 ₺454

30.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₺106

$2.15 ₺102

3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₺148

$3.02 ₺143

3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ₺31.64

$0.63 ₺29.80

6.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ₺2,600

$30.38 ₺1,439

80.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺49.93

$1.09 ₺51.7

-3.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺30.13

$0.15 ₺7.08

326.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.02 ₺427

$7.68 ₺364

17.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺54.4

$1.21 ₺57.3

-4.96%

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

$46.2K ₺2.2M

$43.3K ₺2.1M

6.61%

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

$42.6K ₺2.0M

$43.1K ₺2.0M

-1.14%

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

$74.0 ₺3,506

$62.1 ₺2,943

19.12%

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

$12.52 ₺593

$10.76 ₺510

16.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.10 ₺715

$12.71 ₺602

18.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 ₺2,944

$43.64 ₺2,067

42.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.36 ₺870

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 ₺365

$5.81 ₺275

32.70%

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

$933 ₺44.2K

$613 ₺29.0K

52.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺866.1K

$8,931 ₺423.0K

104.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ₺2,674

$51.5 ₺2,438

9.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 ₺2,210

$44.50 ₺2,107

4.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 ₺5,293

$103 ₺4,857

8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ₺4,992

$88.8 ₺4,207

18.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 ₺44.8K

$506 ₺24.0K

87.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₺29.0K

$392 ₺18.6K

56.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺83.9K

$895 ₺42.4K

97.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 ₺50.4K

$724 ₺34.3K

46.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,079 ₺145.8K

$1,346 ₺63.7K

128.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,695 ₺80.3K

$845 ₺40.0K

100.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,195 ₺56.6K

$871 ₺41.2K

37.18%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Giresun: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Istanbul and $506 in Giresun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 37% 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: $50.0 in Istanbul vs $30.00 in Giresun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $228 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,422 vs $1,097 including rent). Giresun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Istanbul, 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: $947 in Istanbul versus $506 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 $50.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,422 per month in Istanbul versus $1,097 in Giresun – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,097 in Giresun versus $1,422 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 30% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.