Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and İzmit Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and İzmit

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,431 per month in Istanbul vs $1,022 in İzmit, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,191 per month in Istanbul vs $1,606 in İzmit, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,952 per month in Istanbul vs $2,190 in İzmit, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 40% more than İzmit, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 7% above the global median, while İzmit is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 ₺520

$6.96 ₺314

65.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,304

$22.04 ₺995

131.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 ₺343

$7.41 ₺334

2.56%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ₺164

$2.73 ₺123

32.97%

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

$1.35 ₺61.1

$1.24 ₺55.8

8.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.13

$0.50 ₺22.63

-6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 ₺177

$2.48 ₺112

58.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺235

$2.21 ₺99.7

135.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.69

$0.92 ₺41.74

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.38

$0.36 ₺16.37

130.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₺102

$2.19 ₺98.8

3.20%

Eggs

$2.71 ₺122

$1.86 ₺84.2

45.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ₺472

$9.68 ₺437

7.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₺297

$5.74 ₺259

14.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 ₺906

$19.50 ₺880

2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ₺65.2

$1.23 ₺55.6

17.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$2.49 ₺112

-8.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺58.4

$1.39 ₺62.6

-7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺73.5

$1.68 ₺75.9

-2.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.24

$0.95 ₺42.86

-25.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.08

$0.67 ₺30.14

8.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₺52.6

$0.92 ₺41.36

27.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺26.48

$0.58 ₺26.22

1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺96.9

$2.13 ₺96.3

0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 ₺541

$8.14 ₺367

47.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺97.0

$1.99 ₺89.7

8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₺136

$1.91 ₺86.4

58.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺32.32

$0.68 ₺30.50

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 ₺2,396

$30.90 ₺1,395

71.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺49.28

$1.04 ₺46.78

4.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺28.73

$0.68 ₺30.77

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₺395

$7.65 ₺345

14.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.15 ₺51.9

5.22%

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

$44.8K ₺2.0M

$34.8K ₺1.6M

28.64%

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

$43.2K ₺1.9M

$38.4K ₺1.7M

12.45%

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

$71.4 ₺3,221

$42.03 ₺1,897

69.78%

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

$12.44 ₺562

$14.94 ₺674

-16.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.58 ₺658

$12.30 ₺555

18.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 ₺2,818

$42.86 ₺1,935

45.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.58 ₺839

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₺342

$3.70 ₺167

104.59%

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

$950 ₺42.9K

$311 ₺14.1K

205.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ₺814.5K

$7,817 ₺352.9K

130.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₺2,572

$52.6 ₺2,373

8.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 ₺2,096

$34.08 ₺1,538

36.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₺5,108

$114 ₺5,167

-1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₺4,869

$87.4 ₺3,945

23.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ₺44.3K

$518 ₺23.4K

89.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₺28.5K

$392 ₺17.7K

60.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 ₺79.8K

$874 ₺39.4K

102.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₺47.7K

$699 ₺31.6K

51.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,300 ₺149.0K

$1,209 ₺54.6K

173.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,659 ₺74.9K

$971 ₺43.8K

70.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,198 ₺54.1K

$1,225 ₺55.3K

-2.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

37.5

29.15%

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

Last update for Istanbul: April 27, 2026

Last update for İzmit: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Istanbul versus $518 in İzmit. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in İzmit, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Istanbul versus $22.00 in İzmit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $225 – making İzmit the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 İzmit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,146 per month in Istanbul and $1,534 in İzmit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in İzmit, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $950 per month in Istanbul and $311 in İzmit. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in İzmit, where all-in costs run around $1,022, than in Istanbul at $1,431. In İzmit it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward İzmit – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with İzmit. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.