Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kutahya Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kutahya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,431 per month in Istanbul vs $897 in Kutahya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,191 per month in Istanbul vs $1,555 in Kutahya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,952 per month in Istanbul vs $2,214 in Kutahya, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 60% more than Kutahya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 7% above the global median, while Kutahya is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 ₺520

$3.87 ₺175

197.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,304

$15.26 ₺689

234.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 ₺343

$7.27 ₺328

4.54%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ₺164

$3.24 ₺146

12.04%

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

$1.35 ₺61.1

$1.04 ₺46.77

29.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.13

$0.40 ₺17.84

17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 ₺177

$3.28 ₺148

19.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺235

$3.45 ₺156

50.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.69

$0.95 ₺42.76

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.38

$0.69 ₺31.34

20.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₺102

$2.30 ₺104

-1.74%

Eggs

$2.71 ₺122

$2.29 ₺103

18.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ₺472

$9.63 ₺435

8.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₺297

$5.96 ₺269

10.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 ₺906

$19.17 ₺865

4.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ₺65.2

$1.52 ₺68.4

-5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$2.35 ₺106

-2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺58.4

$1.26 ₺56.9

2.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺73.5

$1.54 ₺69.6

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.24

$0.72 ₺32.56

-1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.08

$0.62 ₺27.91

17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₺52.6

$1.08 ₺48.92

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺26.48

$0.42 ₺19.12

40.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺96.9

$2.21 ₺99.7

-2.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 ₺541

$11.09 ₺501

8.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺97.0

$2.09 ₺94.3

2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₺136

$3.10 ₺140

-2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺32.32

$0.67 ₺30.03

7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 ₺2,396

$30.83 ₺1,392

72.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺49.28

$0.85 ₺38.22

28.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺28.73

$0.65 ₺29.15

-1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₺395

$6.25 ₺282

39.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.19 ₺53.7

1.68%

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

$44.8K ₺2.0M

$43.3K ₺2.0M

3.58%

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

$43.2K ₺1.9M

$43.8K ₺2.0M

-1.39%

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

$71.4 ₺3,221

$86.8 ₺3,920

-17.83%

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

$12.44 ₺562

$10.74 ₺485

15.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.58 ₺658

$13.79 ₺622

5.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 ₺2,818

$43.26 ₺1,953

44.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.58 ₺839

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₺342

$6.41 ₺289

18.10%

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

$950 ₺42.9K

$606 ₺27.3K

56.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ₺814.5K

$13.6K ₺614.5K

32.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₺2,572

$56.8 ₺2,564

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 ₺2,096

$44.99 ₺2,031

3.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₺5,108

$108 ₺4,878

4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₺4,869

$98.2 ₺4,433

9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ₺44.3K

$284 ₺12.8K

245.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₺28.5K

$202 ₺9,122

212.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 ₺79.8K

$892 ₺40.3K

98.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₺47.7K

$700 ₺31.6K

51.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,300 ₺149.0K

$4,957 ₺223.8K

-33.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,659 ₺74.9K

$2,698 ₺121.8K

-38.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,198 ₺54.1K

$765 ₺34.5K

56.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

48.4

0.06%

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

Last update for Istanbul: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kutahya: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Istanbul versus $284 in Kutahya. 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 57% 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 $51.0 in Istanbul versus $15.00 in Kutahya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $237 – making Kutahya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kutahya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,146 per month in Istanbul and $1,346 in Kutahya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kutahya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $950 per month in Istanbul and $606 in Kutahya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kutahya, where all-in costs run around $897, than in Istanbul at $1,431. In Kutahya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kutahya – 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 Kutahya. 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.