Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Malatya

For one person, living is cheaper in Malatya: $687 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Malatya
Learn more

Malatya Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Malatya

🇹🇷 Turkey

$687

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Malatya

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $687 in Malatya, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Malatya $687

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $1,058 in Malatya, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Malatya $1,058

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $1,429 in Malatya, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Malatya $1,429

Istanbul costs about 121% more than Malatya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Malatya is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺591

$4.74 ₺237

149.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,747

$29.59 ₺1,480

85.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺463

$7.27 ₺364

27.37%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺215

$1.56 ₺78.1

175.64%

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

$1.77 ₺88.7

$0.93 ₺46.35

90.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.24

$0.32 ₺15.81

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺234

$2.21 ₺111

112.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺356

$3.51 ₺176

102.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.6

$0.79 ₺39.47

58.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.05

$0.76 ₺38.20

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺110

$2.68 ₺134

-17.91%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$1.73 ₺86.4

40.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺524

$8.15 ₺408

28.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺266

$2.28 ₺114

132.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,056

$15.99 ₺800

31.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺92.8

$1.61 ₺80.6

15.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$1.56 ₺78.2

47.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺60.8

$0.79 ₺39.36

54.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.9

$0.74 ₺37.04

143.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.73

$0.39 ₺19.69

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.08

$0.37 ₺18.62

72.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺67.8

$0.51 ₺25.72

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.87

$0.48 ₺23.88

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$1.94 ₺97.1

20.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺652

$11.94 ₺597

9.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$1.84 ₺92.2

28.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$2.14 ₺107

55.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺43.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,307

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.3

$0.73 ₺36.73

75.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.68

$0.69 ₺34.50

23.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺555

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺73.8

$1.33 ₺66.4

11.28%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$40.2K ₺2.0M

21.02%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$40.5K ₺2.0M

3.62%

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

$92.7 ₺4,637

$30.18 ₺1,510

207.19%

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

$11.20 ₺560

$10.13 ₺507

10.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺795

$14.05 ₺703

13.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,735

$35.41 ₺1,771

110.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,148

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺403

$5.23 ₺262

53.92%

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

$948 ₺47.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,695

$15.02 ₺751

258.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,075

$71.1 ₺3,558

-41.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,046

$50.1 ₺2,505

101.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,567

$29.91 ₺1,496

205.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.7K

$332 ₺16.6K

205.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.2K

$217 ₺10.9K

187.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.3K

$466 ₺23.3K

330.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.3K

$326 ₺16.3K

245.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺56.8K

$1,105 ₺55.3K

2.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

-6.00%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Malatya: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Malatya

$217 31.7% 65.2% $407

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Malatya

$188 27.4% 27.1% $70

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Malatya

$102 14.8% 54% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Malatya

$75 10.9% 42.2% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Malatya

$54 7.9% 54.6% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Malatya

$46 6.7% 49.5% $45

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Malatya

$4.2 * 0.6% 94.4% $71

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $332 in Malatya. 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 3% 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 $30 in Malatya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $188 – making Malatya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇷 Malatya

🕒 Local time

00:28 12:28 AM

Same time as Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

781,305

💱 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

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Between locations

Istanbul Malatya 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Malatya

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 Malatya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 121%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $1,030 in Malatya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malatya, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $332 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul and $30 in Malatya. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Malatya, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Malatya 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 $687 in Malatya 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 Malatya. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.