Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Lulea

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,526 a month against $1,823 in Lulea, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Lulea
Learn more

Lulea Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Lulea

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,823

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Lulea

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $1,823 in Lulea, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Lulea $1,823

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $2,920 in Lulea, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Lulea $2,920

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $4,016 in Lulea, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Lulea $4,016

Istanbul is about 16% cheaper than Lulea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Lulea sit above the global median – Istanbul by 14%, Lulea by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$11.72 SEK 117

1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$95.5 SEK 955

-42.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$10.95 SEK 109

-16.53%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$4.36 SEK 43.52

-2.75%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$2.51 SEK 25.10

-30.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$1.87 SEK 18.66

-71.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$8.58 SEK 85.8

-45.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$9.49 SEK 94.8

-37.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$1.77 SEK 17.71

-28.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$3.26 SEK 32.60

-70.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$4.94 SEK 49.41

-53.24%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$4.65 SEK 46.43

-46.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$12.25 SEK 122

-13.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$13.21 SEK 132

-57.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$26.18 SEK 262

-18.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.55 SEK 25.47

-24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.65 SEK 26.53

-13.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.49 SEK 24.87

-48.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$4.11 SEK 41.10

-55.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$2.04 SEK 20.39

-67.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.54 SEK 15.43

-61.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$3.36 SEK 33.58

-60.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$1.29 SEK 12.93

-54.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$6.68 SEK 66.7

-64.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$12.05 SEK 120

11.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.78 SEK 17.77

35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.72 SEK 17.15

105.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$3.32 SEK 33.21

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$55.4 SEK 554

19.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$9.04 SEK 90.3

-85.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$2.05 SEK 20.52

-58.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$70.6 SEK 706

-84.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.77 SEK 17.65

-16.95%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$31.9K SEK 318.5K

62.01%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$33.5K SEK 334.6K

32.74%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$160 SEK 1,603

-44.38%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$31.51 SEK 315

-63.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$26.96 SEK 269

-40.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$46.15 SEK 461

67.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$35.47 SEK 354

-36.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$12.94 SEK 129

-35.55%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$153 SEK 1,528

536.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$5,466 SEK 54.6K

371.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$117 SEK 1,168

-54.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$31.97 SEK 320

22.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$120 SEK 1,202

-14.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$161 SEK 1,611

-40.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$778 SEK 7,773

27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$581 SEK 5,811

8.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$1,418 SEK 14.2K

42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$1,098 SEK 11.0K

5.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$3,049 SEK 30.5K

3.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$2,254 SEK 22.5K

-18.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$2,595 SEK 25.9K

-53.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

3.85

967.27%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Lulea: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Lulea

$581 32% 7.6% $48

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Lulea

$404 22.2% 53% $140

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Lulea

$258 14.2% 18.5% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Lulea

$194 10.7% 47.5% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Lulea

$219 12.1% 87.2% $102

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Lulea

$72 4% 23.3% $22

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Lulea

$88 4.9% 16.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $778 in Lulea. 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 116% higher in Lulea, 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 $96.0 in Lulea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $404 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇪 Lulea

🕒 Local time

08:03 8:03 AM

07:03 7:03 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

73,864

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 SEK = 10.01 USD

100 SEK = 8.92 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.99 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.21 SEK (100 SEK = 8.92 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Lulea 2,770 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Lulea

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 Lulea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lulea is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $2,734 in Lulea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $153 in Lulea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Lulea, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,526, than in Lulea at $1,823. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lulea it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lulea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.