Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Hisar

For one person, living is cheaper in Hisar: $316 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Hisar
🇮🇳 India
$316
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Hisar

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $316 in Hisar.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Hisar $316

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $489 in Hisar.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Hisar $489

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $663 in Hisar.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Hisar $663

Living in Istanbul is roughly 390% more expensive than in Hisar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 15% above, Hisar is 77% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$2.04 ₹194
502.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$6.12 ₹581
793.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$3.35 ₹318
175.22%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$1.02 ₹96.7
331.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$0.35 ₹32.99
380.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$0.18 ₹17.08
227.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$2.11 ₹200
122.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$3.21 ₹305
84.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$0.71 ₹67.5
70.42%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$0.44 ₹42.11
102.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$0.79 ₹74.6
177.22%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$0.89 ₹84.9
164.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$4.92 ₹468
111.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$2.58 ₹245
118.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$1.31 ₹125
45.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$0.75 ₹71.0
208.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$0.67 ₹63.7
91.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$0.62 ₹59.0
190.32%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$0.30 ₹28.87
116.67%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$0.31 ₹29.44
106.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$0.32 ₹30.69
290.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.27 ₹25.58
107.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$4.91 ₹466
-51.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$5.07 ₹481
164.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.64 ₹156
46.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.86 ₹177
87.10%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$3.32 ₹316
-
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$0.44 ₹41.75
102.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$8.28 ₹786
714.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$0.51 ₹48.02
152.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$0.20 ₹18.95
360.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$1.64 ₹156
568.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.12 ₹107
31.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$12.7K ₹1.2M
301.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$20.6K ₹2.0M
116.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$38.61 ₹3,666
129.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$3.55 ₹337
226.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$6.64 ₹630
138.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$12.90 ₹1,225
498.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$5.99 ₹569
279.63%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$2.62 ₹249
210.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$58.8 ₹5,580
1615.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$1,760 ₹167.2K
1352.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$22.58 ₹2,145
138.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$17.93 ₹1,702
127.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$35.26 ₹3,349
180.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$22.69 ₹2,155
325.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$76.0 ₹7,215
1195.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$44.76 ₹4,250
1351.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$197 ₹18.7K
908.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$107 ₹10.2K
1001.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$1,415 ₹134.3K
121.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$507 ₹48.1K
251.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Hisar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$316 ₹30.0K
282.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
8
411.50%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Hisar: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Hisar
$45 93.1% $605
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Hisar
$91 65% $169
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Hisar
$58 74.2% $166
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Hisar
$44 66.1% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Hisar
$49 57.9% $67
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Hisar
$18 80.6% $75
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Hisar
$12 85% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $76.0 in Hisar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 282% 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 $6.00 in Hisar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $91.0 per month, with Hisar cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇮🇳 Hisar
🕒 Local time
02:43 2:43 AM
05:13 5:13 AM
2 h 30 min ahead of Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
301,240
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Hisar 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Hisar

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 Hisar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hisar cheaper than Istanbul?
Hisar is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 390% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Istanbul or Hisar?
Average pay runs 282% higher in Istanbul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Istanbul and Hisar?
Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $76.0 in Hisar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Istanbul and in Hisar?
All in, you'll spend $1,550 per month in Istanbul versus $316 in Hisar – a 390% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Hisar runs roughly 714% less than in Istanbul. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Hisar?
At $316 in Hisar versus $1,550 in Istanbul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hisar but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Hisar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Istanbul or Hisar more family-friendly?
For families, Hisar is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Istanbul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Hisar?
Safety-wise, Istanbul and Hisar 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 Hisar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 390% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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