Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kifisia

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,519 a month against $1,709 in Kifisia, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Istanbul, Turkey
Kifisia, Greece
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,519
/mo nomad
Kifisia
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,709
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kifisia

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $1,709 in Kifisia, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,519
  • Kifisia $1,709

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $2,712 in Kifisia, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,365
  • Kifisia $2,712

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $3,715 in Kifisia, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,212
  • Kifisia $3,715

Istanbul is about 11% cheaper than Kifisia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Istanbul and Kifisia sit above the global median – Istanbul by 12%, Kifisia by 26%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.81 ₺592
$16.62 €14.80
-28.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9 ₺2,754
$66.2 €58.9
-17.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 ₺465
$9.12 €8.12
1.54%
Cappuccino
$4.30 ₺216
$4.29 €3.82
0.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 ₺89.0
$2.84 €2.52
-37.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺28.32
$0.58 €0.52
-3.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺235
$5.63 €5.02
-16.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 ₺357
$5.67 €5.05
25.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 ₺62.7
$1.89 €1.68
-33.86%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 ₺44.17
$1.40 €1.24
-37.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ₺111
$2.59 €2.31
-15.06%
Eggs
$2.43 ₺122
$4.98 €4.44
-51.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.48 ₺526
$13.04 €11.61
-19.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.31 ₺267
$10.50 €9.35
-49.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.10 ₺1,058
$15.69 €13.97
34.48%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ₺93.1
$2.16 €1.92
-13.89%
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 ₺115
$2.06 €1.83
11.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.22 ₺61.0
$1.40 €1.25
-12.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺90.2
$2.11 €1.88
-14.69%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ₺34.83
$1.11 €0.98
-37.84%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺32.16
$1.09 €0.97
-41.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ₺68.0
$0.86 €0.77
58.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₺28.94
$0.87 €0.78
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 ₺117
$5.56 €4.95
-57.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.03 ₺653
$10.01 €8.91
30.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36 ₺118
$1.74 €1.55
35.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 ₺166
$2.26 €2.01
46.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ₺44.07
$1.37 €1.22
-35.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.1 ₺3,316
$50.1 €44.59
32.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ₺64.4
$4.56 €4.06
-71.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.80
$1.02 €0.91
-16.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.09 ₺556
$16.74 €14.91
-33.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 ₺74.0
$2.27 €2.02
-34.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.6K ₺2.4M
$28.3K €25.2K
71.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.0K ₺2.1M
$24.4K €21.7K
72.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.7 ₺4,650
$205 €183
-54.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.20 ₺562
$25.76 €22.94
-56.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.89 ₺797
$30.04 €26.75
-47.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 ₺3,745
$52.2 €46.48
43.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.95 ₺1,151
$24.85 €22.13
-7.65%
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 ₺404
$9.33 €8.31
-13.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$948 ₺47.6K
$571 €509
66.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.9K ₺1.9M
$11.3K €10.1K
225.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₺2,702
$81.7 €72.8
-34.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.49 ₺2,081
$39.44 €35.11
5.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ₺5,060
$97.6 €86.9
3.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.3 ₺4,580
$106 €94.6
-14.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 ₺50.8K
$484 €431
109.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$625 ₺31.3K
$607 €540
2.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,005 ₺100.6K
$749 €667
167.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 ₺56.5K
$1,247 €1,111
-9.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,988 ₺149.8K
$4,796 €4,270
-37.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,730 ₺86.8K
$3,087 €2,749
-43.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Kifisia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,136 ₺57.0K
$1,979 €1,762
-42.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.42
4.48
802.23%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kifisia: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$625
Kifisia
$607 2.8% $18
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$258
Kifisia
$294 13.7% $36
Eating Out
Istanbul
$221
Kifisia
$265 20% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Kifisia
$146 13% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$120
Kifisia
$261 118% $141
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$91
Kifisia
$71 21.9% $20
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Kifisia
$65 13.2% $9.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $484 in Kifisia. 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 74% higher in Kifisia. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $66 in Kifisia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $294 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇬🇷 Kifisia
🕒 Local time
23:56 11:56 PM
22:56 10:56 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
47,332
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD 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 = 56.05 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Kifisia 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Kifisia

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 Kifisia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Kifisia?
Yes – Kifisia is pricier by about 13%, 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 $2,564 in Kifisia. 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 Kifisia, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $484 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $571 in Kifisia. 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 Kifisia?
Groceries cost about 14% more in Kifisia, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Istanbul or in Kifisia?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,519 in Istanbul and $1,709 in Kifisia. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Istanbul or in Kifisia?
It depends on your priorities. Kifisia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,519 in Istanbul to $1,709 in Kifisia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Kifisia?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kifisia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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