Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kielce

For one person, living is cheaper in Kielce: $1,403 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Istanbul despite lower rent and utilities.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Kielce
Learn more

Kielce Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Kielce

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,403

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kielce

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,403 in Kielce, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Kielce $1,403

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,984 in Kielce, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Kielce $1,984

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,565 in Kielce, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Kielce $2,565

Istanbul costs about 10% more than Kielce, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Kielce sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Kielce by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$11.28 zł 43.84

9.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$38.33 zł 149

42.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$7.60 zł 29.54

21.32%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$2.97 zł 11.55

48.15%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$1.47 zł 5.73

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.08 zł 4.18

-45.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$3.35 zł 13.02

40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.73 zł 14.49

58.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.04 zł 4.05

16.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.44 zł 5.58

-38.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.14 zł 4.45

92.11%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.24 zł 12.58

-27.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$7.13 zł 27.71

46.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.38 zł 24.77

-11.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$8.93 zł 34.68

134.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$0.93 zł 3.61

104.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.58 zł 6.15

46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.30 zł 5.06

-1.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$2.37 zł 9.20

-24.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.69 zł 2.68

-5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.76 zł 2.94

-15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.04 zł 4.03

20.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.70 zł 2.70

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$5.05 zł 19.61

-53.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$6.83 zł 26.54

96.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.22 zł 4.75

96.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.44 zł 5.61

141.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$1.04 zł 4.03

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$30.77 zł 120

119.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$1.79 zł 6.96

-27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.04 zł 4.03

-11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$10.78 zł 41.87

1.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.60 zł 6.23

-8.13%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$30.5K zł 118.5K

66.44%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$26.7K zł 103.6K

67.00%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$228 zł 886

-61.15%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$8.12 zł 31.56

42.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$14.81 zł 57.5

6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$38.72 zł 150

99.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$18.44 zł 71.7

23.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$7.51 zł 29.16

8.39%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$259 zł 1,007

288.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$7,977 zł 31.0K

220.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$71.1 zł 276

-24.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$35.23 zł 137

15.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$76.0 zł 295

30.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$103 zł 401

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$713 zł 2,769

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$552 zł 2,146

17.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$965 zł 3,749

105.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$800 zł 3,107

47.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$3,108 zł 12.1K

0.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,418 zł 9,396

-26.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$1,336 zł 5,190

-9.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

6.42

537.38%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kielce: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Kielce

$552 39.4% 15% $98

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Kielce

$192 13.7% 25.9% $67

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Kielce

$183 13.1% 18% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Kielce

$129 9.2% 1.6% $2.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Kielce

$251 17.9% 116% $135

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Kielce

$54 3.8% 42.5% $40

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Kielce

$42 3% 45.5% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $713 in Kielce. 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 11% higher in Kielce, 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 $38.00 in Kielce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $192 – making Kielce the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇵🇱 Kielce

🕒 Local time

00:50 12:50 AM

23:50 11:50 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

192,468

💱 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

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Between locations

Istanbul Kielce 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Kielce

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 Kielce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 10%, 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 $2,104 in Kielce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kielce, 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 $259 in Kielce. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kielce, where all-in costs run around $1,403, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Kielce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kielce – 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 Kielce. 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.