Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kuldiga

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuldiga: $261 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Kuldiga

🇱🇻 Latvia

$261

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kuldiga

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $261 in Kuldiga, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Kuldiga $261

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $576 in Kuldiga, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Kuldiga $576

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $892 in Kuldiga, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Kuldiga $892

Istanbul costs about 482% more than Kuldiga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Kuldiga is 81% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$11.39 €10.14

3.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$66.6 €59.3

-17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$4.02 €3.58

130.35%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$3.45 €3.07

24.64%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$2.76 €2.46

-35.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$1.14 €1.01

-50.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$4.89 €4.36

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$5.60 €4.99

27.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$1.60 €1.42

-21.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$1.31 €1.17

-32.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$2.54 €2.26

-4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$0.91 €0.81

104.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$1.32 €1.18

74.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$2.27 €2.02

-20.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$0.44 €0.39

56.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$0.46 €0.41

39.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

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

$11.20 ₺562

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

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

$948 ₺47.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kuldiga: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Kuldiga

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Kuldiga

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Kuldiga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Kuldiga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Kuldiga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Kuldiga

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Kuldiga

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $67 in Kuldiga. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Istanbul vs $65 in Kuldiga – so Kuldiga wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇱🇻 Kuldiga

🕒 Local time

13:08 1:08 PM

12:08 12:08 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

12,494

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

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

USD to TRY in detail →

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Istanbul Kuldiga 1,840 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

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Istanbul
Kuldiga

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 Kuldiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 482%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $392 in Kuldiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 296% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul and $67 in Kuldiga. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kuldiga, where all-in costs run around $261, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Kuldiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $261 in Kuldiga to $1,519 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.