Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kherson

For one person, living is cheaper in Kherson: $565 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul, Turkey
Kherson, Ukraine
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,519
/mo nomad
Kherson
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$565
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kherson

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $565 in Kherson, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,519
  • Kherson $565

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $878 in Kherson, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,365
  • Kherson $878

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $1,191 in Kherson, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,212
  • Kherson $1,191

Istanbul costs about 169% more than Kherson, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Kherson is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.81 ₺592
$6.38 ₴290
85.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9 ₺2,754
$17.38 ₴791
215.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 ₺465
$6.23 ₴284
48.64%
Cappuccino
$4.30 ₺216
$1.09 ₴49.62
294.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 ₺89.0
$0.88 ₴39.94
101.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺28.32
$0.60 ₴27.17
-6.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺235
$1.01 ₴45.79
364.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 ₺357
$1.51 ₴68.9
371.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 ₺62.7
$0.91 ₴41.43
37.36%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 ₺44.17
$0.61 ₴27.63
44.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ₺111
$1.28 ₴58.1
71.88%
Eggs
$2.43 ₺122
$1.48 ₴67.2
64.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.48 ₺526
$8.20 ₴374
27.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.31 ₺267
$5.10 ₴232
4.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.10 ₺1,058
$6.82 ₴311
209.38%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ₺93.1
$1.23 ₴56.0
51.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 ₺115
$1.49 ₴68.0
54.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.22 ₺61.0
$1.44 ₴65.4
-15.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺90.2
$1.95 ₴88.7
-7.69%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ₺34.83
$0.59 ₴26.94
16.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺32.16
$0.48 ₴21.68
33.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ₺68.0
$0.90 ₴41.13
51.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₺28.94
$0.51 ₴23.44
13.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 ₺117
$2.61 ₴119
-10.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.03 ₺653
$4.26 ₴194
205.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36 ₺118
$0.76 ₴34.47
210.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 ₺166
$1.32 ₴60.2
151.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ₺44.07
$0.21 ₴9.55
319.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.1 ₺3,316
$13.00 ₴592
408.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ₺64.4
$1.09 ₴49.43
17.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.80
$0.80 ₴36.65
6.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.09 ₺556
$13.36 ₴608
-16.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 ₺74.0
$1.67 ₴76.0
-11.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.6K ₺2.4M
$29.9K ₴1.4M
62.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.0K ₺2.1M
$24.5K ₴1.1M
71.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.7 ₺4,650
$65.7 ₴2,993
41.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.20 ₺562
$3.74 ₴170
199.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.89 ₺797
$6.21 ₴283
155.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 ₺3,745
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.95 ₺1,151
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 ₺404
$4.28 ₴195
88.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$948 ₺47.6K
$294 ₴13.4K
222.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.9K ₺1.9M
$5,633 ₴256.5K
555.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₺2,702
$69.5 ₴3,167
-22.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.49 ₺2,081
$37.91 ₴1,726
9.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ₺5,060
$79.9 ₴3,639
26.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.3 ₺4,580
$81.8 ₴3,725
11.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 ₺50.8K
$145 ₴6,597
599.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$625 ₺31.3K
$88.9 ₴4,046
602.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,005 ₺100.6K
$194 ₴8,834
933.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 ₺56.5K
$144 ₴6,565
680.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,988 ₺149.8K
$517 ₴23.5K
478.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,730 ₺86.8K
$350 ₴15.9K
394.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Kherson
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,136 ₺57.0K
$339 ₴15.4K
235.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.42
17.6
129.66%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kherson: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$625
Kherson
$89 85.8% $536
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$258
Kherson
$155 40.1% $103
Eating Out
Istanbul
$221
Kherson
$97 56.2% $124
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Kherson
$121 6.4% $8.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$120
Kherson
$76 36.8% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$91
Kherson
$8.6 * 90.6% $82
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Kherson
$19 74.8% $56

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $145 in Kherson. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Istanbul are about 3.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $17 in Kherson. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $155 – making Kherson the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇺🇦 Kherson
🕒 Local time
05:21 5:21 AM
04:21 4:21 AM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
294,941
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.3 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 45.54 UAH (100 UAH = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 51.12 UAH (100 UAH = 1.96 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Kherson 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Kherson

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 Kherson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kherson cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 169%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $847 in Kherson. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kherson, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $145 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $294 in Kherson. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Kherson?
Groceries cost about 67% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Kherson?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kherson, where all-in costs run around $565, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Kherson it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Kherson more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kherson – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kherson. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Istanbul vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?