Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kartuzy

For one person, living is cheaper in Kartuzy: $1,423 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. The total is higher in Istanbul despite lower rent and utilities.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
69

Cost of Living Index in Kartuzy
Learn more

Kartuzy Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Kartuzy

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,423

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kartuzy

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,423 in Kartuzy, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Kartuzy $1,423

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,043 in Kartuzy, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Kartuzy $2,043

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,663 in Kartuzy, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Kartuzy $2,663

Istanbul costs about 9% more than Kartuzy, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Kartuzy sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Kartuzy by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$8.06 zł 31.30

52.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$41.46 zł 161

31.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$8.99 zł 34.91

2.56%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$3.35 zł 13.03

31.34%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.13 zł 8.29

-21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.59 zł 6.18

-62.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$3.63 zł 14.09

29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.77 zł 14.66

56.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.92 zł 3.59

31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.21 zł 4.69

-26.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.13 zł 4.41

93.81%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.34 zł 12.97

-29.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$8.10 zł 31.47

28.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.83 zł 26.54

-17.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$10.96 zł 42.57

91.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.12 zł 4.35

69.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.65 zł 6.43

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.45 zł 5.65

-11.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$2.63 zł 10.22

-31.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.83 zł 3.23

-21.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.03 zł 4.02

-37.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.37 zł 5.30

-8.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.68 zł 2.64

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$4.56 zł 17.71

-48.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$6.67 zł 25.91

101.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.13 zł 4.40

112.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.57 zł 6.11

121.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$1.10 zł 4.28

-19.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$26.96 zł 105

150.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$2.33 zł 9.05

-44.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.74 zł 2.89

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$9.94 zł 38.61

10.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.64 zł 6.38

-10.37%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$26.8K zł 104.3K

89.26%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$29.9K zł 116.3K

48.81%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$271 zł 1,052

-67.27%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$8.82 zł 34.25

31.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$17.21 zł 66.9

-8.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$38.82 zł 151

98.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$24.96 zł 97.0

-8.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$7.11 zł 27.62

14.49%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$362 zł 1,407

178.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$6,810 zł 26.5K

275.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$93.2 zł 362

-42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$40.83 zł 159

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$95.0 zł 369

4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$90.3 zł 351

7.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$607 zł 2,360

62.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$514 zł 1,998

26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$995 zł 3,868

99.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$804 zł 3,124

46.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$2,891 zł 11.2K

8.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,217 zł 8,615

-19.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$1,269 zł 4,930

-5.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

6.68

512.57%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kartuzy: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Kartuzy

$514 36.1% 20.9% $136

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Kartuzy

$205 14.4% 20.9% $54

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Kartuzy

$172 12.1% 22.9% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Kartuzy

$144 10.1% 10% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Kartuzy

$297 20.9% 156% $181

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Kartuzy

$53 3.7% 43.2% $40

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Kartuzy

$37 2.6% 51.3% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $607 in Kartuzy. 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 5% higher in Kartuzy, 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $41.00 in Kartuzy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $205 – making Kartuzy the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇵🇱 Kartuzy

🕒 Local time

21:25 9:25 PM

20:25 8:25 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

14,186

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Kartuzy 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Kartuzy

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 Kartuzy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $2,134 in Kartuzy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $362 in Kartuzy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 Kartuzy, where all-in costs run around $1,423, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Kartuzy it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kartuzy – 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 Kartuzy. 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.