Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Jamestown

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamestown: $89.5 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 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

$1,526

/mo nomad

Jamestown

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

$89.5

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Jamestown

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $89.5 in Jamestown, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Jamestown $89.5

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $154 in Jamestown, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Jamestown $154

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $219 in Jamestown, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Jamestown $219

Istanbul costs about 1604% more than Jamestown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Jamestown is 93% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$1.81 SHP 1.37

-47.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$5.27 SHP 3.98

-53.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$10.79 SHP 8.15

96.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$1.30 SHP 0.98

-54.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$12.06 SHP 9.11

-80.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

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

$11.60 ₺572

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

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

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Jamestown: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Jamestown

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Jamestown

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Jamestown

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Jamestown

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Jamestown

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Jamestown

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Jamestown

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇭 Jamestown

🕒 Local time

14:19 2:19 PM

11:19 11:19 AM

3 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

600 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Saint Helena Pound SHP £

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1 SHP = 1.32 USD

1 SHP = 1.18 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SHP, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Saint Helena Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.755 SHP (1 SHP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.846 SHP (1 SHP = 1.18 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Jamestown 7,270 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Jamestown

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 Jamestown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 1604%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $134 in Jamestown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,526 in Istanbul and $89.5 in Jamestown. That's a gap of about 1604%.

Groceries cost about 203% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jamestown, where all-in costs run around $89.5, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Jamestown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jamestown – 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 Jamestown. 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.