Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Machilipatnam

For one person, living is cheaper in Machilipatnam: $374 a month against $1,525 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,525
/mo nomad
Machilipatnam
🇮🇳 India
$374
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Machilipatnam

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $374 in Machilipatnam, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,525
  • Machilipatnam $374

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $588 in Machilipatnam, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,390
  • Machilipatnam $588

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $802 in Machilipatnam, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,256
  • Machilipatnam $802

Istanbul costs about 308% more than Machilipatnam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 13% above the global median, while Machilipatnam is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 ₺592
$2.10 ₹199
469.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 ₺2,834
$8.48 ₹805
574.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.51 ₺471
$4.67 ₹444
103.64%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$1.68 ₹160
161.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₺86.6
$0.32 ₹30.40
446.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.57
$0.11 ₹10.41
409.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.71 ₺233
$2.06 ₹195
128.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.14 ₺304
$3.02 ₹287
103.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ₺61.6
$0.68 ₹64.4
82.35%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 ₺47.25
$0.56 ₹53.5
69.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 ₺113
$0.63 ₹60.0
261.90%
Eggs
$2.45 ₺121
$0.79 ₹75.2
210.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.56 ₺523
$5.54 ₹526
90.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.50 ₺272
$3.07 ₹291
79.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.65 ₺1,072
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 ₺90.6
$2.41 ₹229
-24.07%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 ₺113
$0.63 ₹59.5
263.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.4
$1.08 ₹103
18.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.82 ₺90.1
$0.37 ₹35.07
391.89%
Potato (1kg)
$0.66 ₺32.74
$0.36 ₹33.84
83.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.63 ₺31.14
$0.36 ₹33.81
75.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ₺62.8
$0.59 ₹55.9
115.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.62
$0.30 ₹28.30
86.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 ₺117
$4.49 ₹427
-47.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.98 ₺642
$9.04 ₹858
43.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.48 ₺123
$1.66 ₹158
49.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ₺174
$3.16 ₹300
10.76%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$4.47 ₹425
-
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.82 ₺40.77
$0.25 ₹23.73
228.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.2 ₺3,228
$7.55 ₹717
763.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.33 ₺65.7
$1.06 ₹101
25.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 ₺44.60
$0.17 ₹16.27
429.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.91 ₺540
$2.69 ₹255
305.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ₺70.7
$1.08 ₹102
32.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.6K ₺2.5M
$13.8K ₹1.3M
260.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.2K ₺2.1M
$21.5K ₹2.0M
100.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₺4,395
$33.24 ₹3,156
167.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.69 ₺579
$3.58 ₹340
226.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.09 ₺797
$5.11 ₹485
214.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.3 ₺3,776
$14.03 ₹1,332
443.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.72 ₺1,125
$6.65 ₹631
241.65%
Cinema Ticket
$8.26 ₺409
$2.62 ₹249
215.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,015 ₺50.2K
$48.86 ₹4,640
1976.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K ₺1.3M
$1,574 ₹149.5K
1541.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ₺2,636
$22.33 ₹2,121
138.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.55 ₺2,008
$21.21 ₹2,014
91.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 ₺4,956
$29.81 ₹2,831
235.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.5 ₺4,630
$31.64 ₹3,004
195.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 ₺48.4K
$121 ₹11.5K
704.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$627 ₺31.0K
$73.3 ₹6,959
755.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,980 ₺98.0K
$266 ₹25.2K
644.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,147 ₺56.8K
$169 ₹16.0K
579.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,095 ₺153.2K
$973 ₹92.4K
217.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,787 ₺88.5K
$521 ₹49.5K
242.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Machilipatnam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,213 ₺60.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.69
8.58
374.24%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Machilipatnam: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$627
Machilipatnam
$73 88.3% $554
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$263
Machilipatnam
$112 57.2% $150
Eating Out
Istanbul
$222
Machilipatnam
$69 68.9% $153
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Machilipatnam
$47 63.5% $82
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$117
Machilipatnam
$42 64% $75
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Machilipatnam
$19 79.2% $74
Getting Around
Istanbul
$74
Machilipatnam
$10 85.9% $64

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $121 in Machilipatnam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Istanbul versus $8.00 in Machilipatnam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $112 – making Machilipatnam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇮🇳 Machilipatnam
🕒 Local time
20:06 8:06 PM
22:36 10:36 PM
2 h 30 min ahead of Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
169,892
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Machilipatnam 5,690 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Machilipatnam

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 Machilipatnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Machilipatnam cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 308%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $561 in Machilipatnam. 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 Machilipatnam, 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 $1,015 per month in Istanbul and $48.86 in Machilipatnam. 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 Machilipatnam?
Groceries cost about 133% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Machilipatnam?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Machilipatnam, where all-in costs run around $374, than in Istanbul at $1,525. In Machilipatnam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Machilipatnam more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Machilipatnam – 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 Machilipatnam?
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 Machilipatnam. 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.

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