Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kutahya

For one person, living is cheaper in Kutahya: $837 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
40

Cost of Living Index in Kutahya
Learn more

Kutahya Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Kutahya

🇹🇷 Turkey

$837

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kutahya

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $837 in Kutahya, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Kutahya $837

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $1,368 in Kutahya, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Kutahya $1,368

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $1,899 in Kutahya, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Kutahya $1,899

Istanbul costs about 82% more than Kutahya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Kutahya is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺591

$6.81 ₺341

73.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,747

$44.60 ₺2,231

23.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺463

$10.03 ₺502

-7.68%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺215

$3.15 ₺158

36.51%

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

$1.77 ₺88.8

$0.99 ₺49.43

78.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.25

$0.41 ₺20.64

36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺234

$4.99 ₺249

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺356

$6.52 ₺326

9.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.6

$1.18 ₺59.0

5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.05

$0.37 ₺18.48

137.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺110

$1.53 ₺76.3

43.79%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$1.41 ₺70.4

72.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺524

$9.19 ₺460

14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺266

$2.64 ₺132

101.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,056

$18.05 ₺903

16.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺92.8

$0.49 ₺24.46

279.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$1.85 ₺92.5

24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺60.8

$0.67 ₺33.76

82.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.9

$0.67 ₺33.38

168.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.74

$0.29 ₺14.42

137.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.08

$0.29 ₺14.45

120.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺67.8

$0.48 ₺23.89

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.87

$0.48 ₺23.89

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$2.22 ₺111

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺652

$12.03 ₺602

8.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$2.23 ₺112

5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$3.28 ₺164

1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺43.96

$0.73 ₺36.32

20.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,307

$24.74 ₺1,238

167.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.3

$0.98 ₺49.21

30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.69

$0.31 ₺15.53

174.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺555

$8.16 ₺408

35.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺73.8

$1.40 ₺69.9

5.71%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$47.0K ₺2.4M

3.47%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$41.1K ₺2.1M

2.19%

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

$92.7 ₺4,638

$102 ₺5,123

-9.47%

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

$11.20 ₺560

$10.90 ₺545

2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺795

$14.99 ₺750

6.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,736

$30.61 ₺1,531

143.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,148

$19.67 ₺984

16.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺403

$6.03 ₺301

33.50%

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

$948 ₺47.4K

$1,110 ₺55.5K

-14.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.8M

$22.6K ₺1.1M

63.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,695

$17.98 ₺900

199.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,075

$20.17 ₺1,009

105.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,047

$80.1 ₺4,007

25.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,568

$97.1 ₺4,857

-5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.7K

$197 ₺9,870

413.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.2K

$180 ₺9,002

247.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.3K

$505 ₺25.3K

296.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.3K

$395 ₺19.8K

184.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.5K

$2,712 ₺135.7K

10.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.5K

$1,547 ₺77.4K

11.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺56.8K

$689 ₺34.4K

65.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

1.05%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kutahya: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Kutahya

$180 21.5% 71.2% $445

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Kutahya

$193 23% 25.4% $66

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Kutahya

$166 19.8% 24.9% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Kutahya

$97 11.6% 25.1% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Kutahya

$128 15.3% 7.1% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Kutahya

$43 5.1% 53% $48

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Kutahya

$30 3.6% 59.9% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $197 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 65% 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 in Istanbul versus $45 in Kutahya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $193 – making Kutahya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇷 Kutahya

🕒 Local time

12:48 12:48 PM

Same time as Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

573,642

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Kutahya 200 km

From you

Istanbul
Kutahya

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 Kutahya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 82%, 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 $1,255 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $197 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $1,110 in Kutahya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kutahya, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Kutahya 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 $837 in Kutahya 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.

If budget matters most, go with Kutahya. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.