Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kathmandu

For one person, living is cheaper in Kathmandu: $481 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Kathmandu
Learn more

Kathmandu Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Kathmandu

🇳🇵 Nepal

$481

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kathmandu

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $481 in Kathmandu, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Kathmandu $481

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $767 in Kathmandu, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Kathmandu $767

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,052 in Kathmandu, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Kathmandu $1,052

Istanbul costs about 217% more than Kathmandu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Kathmandu is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$1.94 NPR 300

512.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$20.45 NPR 3,165

169.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$7.71 NPR 1,194

18.55%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$1.51 NPR 233

180.79%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.49 NPR 76.5

257.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.16 NPR 24.27

237.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$3.04 NPR 471

54.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$3.27 NPR 506

82.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$0.76 NPR 118

65.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$0.62 NPR 96.3

53.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$0.85 NPR 131

171.76%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$1.65 NPR 255

49.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$7.15 NPR 1,106

47.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$3.18 NPR 492

76.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$5.93 NPR 917

257.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.02 NPR 313

-4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.16 NPR 179

97.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.43 NPR 222

-10.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$0.53 NPR 82.5

247.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$0.38 NPR 59.0

76.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$0.53 NPR 82.6

11.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$0.45 NPR 69.6

195.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$0.22 NPR 33.94

168.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$2.48 NPR 385

-4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$7.83 NPR 1,211

72.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$2.29 NPR 355

5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$3.08 NPR 476

14.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$0.17 NPR 26.30

388.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$9.64 NPR 1,493

589.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$1.84 NPR 285

-26.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$1.18 NPR 183

-27.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$3.18 NPR 492

241.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.33 NPR 207

10.53%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$28.7K NPR 4.4M

80.03%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$36.0K NPR 5.6M

23.41%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$31.63 NPR 4,895

182.07%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$3.48 NPR 538

233.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$8.94 NPR 1,384

80.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$21.47 NPR 3,323

259.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$6.71 NPR 1,038

237.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$3.00 NPR 465

178.00%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$66.8 NPR 10.3K

1357.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$5,541 NPR 857.5K

365.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$24.59 NPR 3,806

114.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$26.39 NPR 4,084

48.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$63.1 NPR 9,761

63.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$28.31 NPR 4,381

241.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$216 NPR 33.5K

359.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$101 NPR 15.6K

524.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$430 NPR 66.5K

371.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$198 NPR 30.6K

483.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$2,248 NPR 347.9K

40.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$1,338 NPR 207.1K

37.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$264 NPR 40.9K

355.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

9.72

322.74%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Kathmandu

$101 21% 84% $528

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Kathmandu

$144 30.1% 45.3% $120

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Kathmandu

$81 16.9% 62.8% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Kathmandu

$64 13.4% 51.2% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Kathmandu

$44 9.2% 62.3% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Kathmandu

$27 5.7% 70.7% $66

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Kathmandu

$18 3.8% 76% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $216 in Kathmandu. 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 355% 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $20.00 in Kathmandu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $144 – making Kathmandu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇵 Kathmandu

🕒 Local time

05:52 5:52 AM

08:37 8:37 AM

2 h 45 min ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

975,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NPR, 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 = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 155 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD). 1 EUR = 174 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.76 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Kathmandu 5,280 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Kathmandu

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 Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 217%, 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 $722 in Kathmandu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $66.8 in Kathmandu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% 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 Kathmandu, where all-in costs run around $481, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Kathmandu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kathmandu – 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 Kathmandu. 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.