Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Linkoping

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,789 in Linkoping, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Linkoping
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,789
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Linkoping

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,789 in Linkoping, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Linkoping $1,789

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,801 in Linkoping, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Linkoping $2,801

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $3,814 in Linkoping, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Linkoping $3,814

Istanbul is about 13% cheaper than Linkoping, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Linkoping sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Linkoping by 32%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$12.99 SEK 129
-5.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$63.6 SEK 630
-14.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$10.10 SEK 100
-8.71%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$4.24 SEK 41.97
3.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$2.56 SEK 25.33
-34.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$2.21 SEK 21.89
-73.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$6.74 SEK 66.8
-30.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$6.95 SEK 68.8
-14.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.64 SEK 16.27
-26.22%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$2.72 SEK 26.93
-67.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$3.12 SEK 30.96
-29.81%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$3.79 SEK 37.56
-37.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$11.28 SEK 112
-7.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$11.28 SEK 112
-49.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$16.38 SEK 162
27.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$2.96 SEK 29.35
-35.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$2.40 SEK 23.83
-3.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.93 SEK 19.17
-33.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$4.37 SEK 43.34
-58.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$1.43 SEK 14.12
-54.55%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$1.66 SEK 16.42
-61.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.96 SEK 19.43
-36.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$1.56 SEK 15.49
-64.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$6.89 SEK 68.3
-65.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$9.66 SEK 95.7
38.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.90 SEK 18.79
26.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$2.23 SEK 22.05
56.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$3.20 SEK 31.68
-72.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$77.3 SEK 766
-12.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$6.00 SEK 59.5
-78.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.67 SEK 16.54
-44.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$58.3 SEK 577
-81.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.75 SEK 17.34
-16.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$32.2K SEK 319.2K
57.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$32.3K SEK 319.9K
37.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$105 SEK 1,036
-15.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$19.66 SEK 195
-41.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$33.16 SEK 329
-52.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$37.83 SEK 375
103.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$33.35 SEK 330
-31.81%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$15.87 SEK 157
-48.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$214 SEK 2,118
371.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$4,336 SEK 43.0K
489.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$88.6 SEK 878
-39.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$32.33 SEK 320
26.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$88.3 SEK 875
11.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$132 SEK 1,310
-26.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$938 SEK 9,291
5.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$715 SEK 7,082
-9.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$1,562 SEK 15.5K
26.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$1,312 SEK 13.0K
-10.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$4,402 SEK 43.6K
-28.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$2,777 SEK 27.5K
-35.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Linkoping
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$2,646 SEK 26.2K
-54.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
2.8
1361.43%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Linkoping: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Linkoping
$715 10% $65
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Linkoping
$337 29.8% $77
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Linkoping
$252 12.7% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Linkoping
$154 17.6% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Linkoping
$157 35.6% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Linkoping
$70 25.5% $24
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Linkoping
$104 35.9% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $938 in Linkoping. 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 119% higher in Linkoping, 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $64.0 in Linkoping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $337 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇸🇪 Linkoping
🕒 Local time
00:21 12:21 AM
23:21 11:21 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
115,682
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

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).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Linkoping 2,150 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Linkoping

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 Linkoping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Linkoping cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Linkoping is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $2,683 in Linkoping. 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 Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $214 in Linkoping. 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 Linkoping?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Linkoping, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Linkoping?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Linkoping at $1,789. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Linkoping it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Linkoping more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Linkoping?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Linkoping makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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