Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Khulna

For one person, living is cheaper in Khulna: $336 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,526
/mo nomad
Khulna
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$336
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Khulna

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $336 in Khulna, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,526
  • Khulna $336

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $543 in Khulna, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,399
  • Khulna $543

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $751 in Khulna, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,272
  • Khulna $751

Istanbul costs about 355% more than Khulna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Khulna is 75% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.88 ₺585
$1.39 ৳171
754.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.1 ₺2,714
$7.39 ৳907
645.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.14 ₺450
$4.09 ৳503
123.47%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.20 ৳270
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.47 ৳795
-
Cappuccino
$4.24 ₺209
$0.70 ৳86.1
505.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₺86.0
$0.29 ৳35.89
503.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₺26.83
$0.16 ৳19.25
237.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺231
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.97 ₺294
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 ₺62.1
$0.72 ৳88.4
75.00%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 ₺46.81
$0.41 ৳50.9
131.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$0.60 ৳73.9
285.00%
Eggs
$2.47 ₺122
$1.09 ৳134
126.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.55 ₺520
$9.72 ৳1,194
8.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.60 ₺276
$2.71 ৳332
106.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.21 ₺1,045
$6.27 ৳770
238.28%
Apples (1kg)
$1.93 ₺95.1
$2.38 ৳293
-18.91%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 ₺113
$0.60 ৳74.1
281.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$2.18 ৳268
-41.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.84 ₺90.8
$0.61 ৳75.4
201.64%
Potato (1kg)
$0.67 ₺32.86
$0.31 ৳37.74
116.13%
Onion (1kg)
$0.59 ₺29.31
$0.52 ৳63.4
13.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 ₺65.4
$0.65 ৳80.4
104.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.10
$0.28 ৳34.48
110.71%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$7.96 ৳977
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.64 ৳324
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.89 ৳724
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 ₺116
$3.07 ৳377
-23.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.47 ₺664
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 ₺119
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54 ₺174
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 ₺40.64
$0.29 ৳36.08
186.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.5 ₺3,273
$8.34 ৳1,025
696.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₺66.6
$0.59 ৳72.6
128.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.05
$0.18 ৳22.09
372.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.86 ₺535
$2.83 ৳347
283.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.3
$1.09 ৳134
34.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$51.6K ₺2.5M
$23.0K ৳2.8M
124.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.4K ₺2.2M
$19.2K ৳2.4M
131.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.2 ₺4,395
$35.56 ৳4,368
150.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ₺572
$5.93 ৳728
95.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.10 ₺793
$20.70 ৳2,543
-22.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.3 ₺3,805
$13.82 ৳1,698
458.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.66 ₺1,116
$12.31 ৳1,512
84.08%
Cinema Ticket
$8.34 ₺411
$4.04 ৳496
106.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$974 ₺48.0K
$16.12 ৳1,980
5941.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K ₺1.3M
$1,367 ৳167.9K
1784.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 ₺2,597
$27.65 ৳3,396
90.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.16 ₺1,929
$35.82 ৳4,400
9.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 ₺5,083
$31.95 ৳3,925
222.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,759
$33.50 ৳4,115
188.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$994 ₺49.0K
$63.5 ৳7,799
1465.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 ₺31.0K
$39.89 ৳4,900
1477.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,024 ₺99.7K
$162 ৳19.8K
1152.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,155 ₺56.9K
$83.8 ৳10.3K
1278.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,160 ₺155.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,838 ₺90.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Khulna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,203 ₺59.3K
$145 ৳17.8K
728.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
41.09
10
310.90%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Khulna: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$629
Khulna
$40 93.7% $589
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$264
Khulna
$115 56.5% $149
Eating Out
Istanbul
$218
Khulna
$34 84.6% $184
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Khulna
$58 55.8% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$117
Khulna
$62 46.8% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$94
Khulna
$22 76.7% $72
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Khulna
$11 85.4% $64

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $63.5 in Khulna. 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 728% 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 $7.00 in Khulna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $115 – making Khulna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇧🇩 Khulna
🕒 Local time
13:18 1:18 PM
16:18 4:18 PM
3 h ahead of Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
664,728
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

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).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.14 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.27 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Khulna 5,940 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Khulna

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 Khulna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Khulna cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 355%, 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 $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $503 in Khulna. 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 Khulna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $16.12 in Khulna. 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 Khulna?
Groceries cost about 130% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Khulna?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Khulna, where all-in costs run around $336, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Khulna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Khulna more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Khulna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Khulna?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Khulna. 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.

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