Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Isfara

For one person, living is cheaper in Isfara: $105 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Isfara

🇹🇯 Tajikistan

$105

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Isfara

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $105 in Isfara, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Isfara $105

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $207 in Isfara, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Isfara $207

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $309 in Isfara, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Isfara $309

Istanbul costs about 1351% more than Isfara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Isfara is 92% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺591

$8.60 TJS 79.2

37.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,748

$12.94 TJS 119

324.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺463

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺215

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

$1.77 ₺88.8

$0.84 TJS 7.74

110.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.26

$0.57 TJS 5.21

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺234

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺356

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.6

$0.67 TJS 6.20

86.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.07

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺110

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$1.69 TJS 15.53

43.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺524

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺266

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,056

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺92.9

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$2.35 TJS 21.63

-2.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺60.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.0

$0.53 TJS 4.86

239.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.75

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺67.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺652

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺43.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,309

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺555

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺73.9

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

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

$92.7 ₺4,639

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

$11.20 ₺560

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺795

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,737

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,149

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺403

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

$948 ₺47.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,696

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,076

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,049

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,570

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺56.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Isfara: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Isfara

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Isfara

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Isfara

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Isfara

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Isfara

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Isfara

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Isfara

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $13 in Isfara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $30 – making Isfara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇯 Isfara

🕒 Local time

04:38 4:38 AM

06:38 6:38 AM

2 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

274,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Tajikistani Somoni TJS ЅМ

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

100 TJS = 10.86 USD

100 TJS = 9.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TJS, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.04 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.18 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Tajikistani Somoni exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 9.21 TJS (1 TJS = 0.109 USD). 1 EUR = 10.34 TJS (100 TJS = 9.67 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Isfara 3,490 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Isfara

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.

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Istanbul vs Isfara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 1351%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $157 in Isfara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 755% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul and $13 in Isfara. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Isfara, where all-in costs run around $105, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Isfara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $105 in Isfara to $1,519 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.