Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kahramanmaras Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kahramanmaras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,452 per month in Istanbul vs $986 in Kahramanmaras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,224 per month in Istanbul vs $1,986 in Kahramanmaras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,996 per month in Istanbul vs $2,986 in Kahramanmaras, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 47% more than Kahramanmaras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Kahramanmaras is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 ₺523

$6.50 ₺301

73.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₺2,393

$30.15 ₺1,395

71.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 ₺345

$5.29 ₺245

41.02%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₺160

$2.92 ₺135

18.49%

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

$1.35 ₺62.4

$1.42 ₺65.9

-4.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.56

$0.52 ₺24.13

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 ₺177

$3.84 ₺177

-0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 ₺241

$5.00 ₺231

4.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₺49.31

$0.82 ₺37.81

30.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺38.18

$0.36 ₺16.77

130.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺102

$1.23 ₺57.0

79.67%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺120

$2.03 ₺93.9

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 ₺477

$7.49 ₺346

37.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₺302

$5.14 ₺238

27.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.83 ₺917

$16.79 ₺777

18.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.6

$1.23 ₺56.7

21.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ₺101

$1.98 ₺91.7

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.8

$0.95 ₺43.86

35.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ₺73.2

$1.37 ₺63.3

15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₺35.06

$0.75 ₺34.54

1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.85

$0.61 ₺28.00

19.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺52.3

$0.89 ₺41.25

26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺26.89

$0.40 ₺18.29

45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 ₺102

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ₺566

$3.79 ₺175

222.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺98.2

$2.11 ₺97.8

0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₺142

$2.86 ₺133

6.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.44

$0.43 ₺20.05

67.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₺2,469

$25.09 ₺1,161

112.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺50.5

$0.77 ₺35.81

41.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺29.48

$0.65 ₺29.93

-1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₺417

$4.97 ₺230

81.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺53.3

$1.30 ₺60.1

-11.54%

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

$46.6K ₺2.2M

$43.6K ₺2.0M

6.87%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$40.5K ₺1.9M

7.91%

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

$71.7 ₺3,315

$34.90 ₺1,615

105.33%

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

$12.49 ₺578

$13.09 ₺606

-4.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 ₺696

$13.70 ₺634

9.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ₺2,786

$99.5 ₺4,604

-39.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ₺851

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 ₺355

$3.82 ₺177

100.52%

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

$935 ₺43.2K

$458 ₺21.2K

104.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₺824.6K

$5,112 ₺236.5K

248.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,585

$62.6 ₺2,894

-10.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.37 ₺2,145

$51.7 ₺2,391

-10.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,304

$62.7 ₺2,901

82.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,884

$50.5 ₺2,334

109.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₺44.4K

$410 ₺19.0K

134.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₺28.6K

$355 ₺16.4K

73.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 ₺80.4K

$1,800 ₺83.3K

-3.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ₺47.5K

$1,509 ₺69.8K

-31.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 ₺143.3K

$4,804 ₺222.2K

-35.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺77.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,170 ₺54.1K

$1,134 ₺52.5K

3.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

51.34%

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

Last update for Istanbul: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kahramanmaras: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Istanbul versus $410 in Kahramanmaras. 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 3% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Istanbul versus $30.00 in Kahramanmaras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $188 – making Kahramanmaras 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 Kahramanmaras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,178 per month in Istanbul and $1,479 in Kahramanmaras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $935 per month in Istanbul and $458 in Kahramanmaras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kahramanmaras, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Istanbul at $1,452. In Kahramanmaras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kahramanmaras – 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 Kahramanmaras. 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.