Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Maltepe Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Maltepe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Istanbul vs $1,042 in Maltepe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,338 per month in Istanbul vs $1,602 in Maltepe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in Istanbul vs $2,162 in Maltepe, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 43% more than Maltepe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Maltepe is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ₺492

$8.46 ₺411

19.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₺2,461

$30.38 ₺1,475

66.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 ₺441

$7.20 ₺350

26.25%

Cappuccino

$4.05 ₺197

$3.52 ₺171

15.06%

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

$1.74 ₺84.3

$0.94 ₺45.67

85.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺27.70

$0.38 ₺18.26

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 ₺197

$2.31 ₺112

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₺293

$3.11 ₺151

93.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.4

$0.98 ₺47.73

24.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.81

$0.83 ₺40.26

13.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₺118

$2.25 ₺109

8.44%

Eggs

$2.46 ₺119

$2.32 ₺112

6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₺500

$10.46 ₺508

-1.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₺260

$5.10 ₺248

4.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.09 ₺1,024

$19.15 ₺930

10.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺95.9

$1.67 ₺81.2

17.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ₺109

$1.95 ₺94.8

14.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₺58.5

$1.09 ₺53.1

10.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ₺93.3

$1.25 ₺60.7

53.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₺28.65

$0.58 ₺28.15

1.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₺25.04

$0.39 ₺18.91

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺53.0

$0.80 ₺39.03

36.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.62

$0.59 ₺28.60

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 ₺113

$2.03 ₺98.7

14.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 ₺643

$12.61 ₺612

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺116

$2.03 ₺98.6

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₺165

$2.08 ₺101

62.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₺41.57

$0.77 ₺37.47

11.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 ₺3,298

$30.56 ₺1,484

122.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₺63.5

$1.05 ₺50.9

24.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺44.88

$0.91 ₺44.35

1.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.72 ₺520

$6.91 ₺335

55.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₺66.8

$1.31 ₺63.4

5.34%

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

$50.7K ₺2.5M

$42.5K ₺2.1M

19.15%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$42.2K ₺2.0M

5.24%

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

$88.6 ₺4,302

$80.8 ₺3,921

9.73%

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

$11.48 ₺557

$11.31 ₺549

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.51 ₺802

$13.42 ₺652

23.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 ₺3,361

$52.0 ₺2,525

33.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 ₺1,138

Cinema Ticket

$8.37 ₺407

$6.14 ₺298

36.32%

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

$978 ₺47.5K

$561 ₺27.2K

74.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K ₺1.4M

$12.0K ₺583.3K

133.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ₺2,624

$44.48 ₺2,160

21.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.94 ₺1,890

$36.03 ₺1,749

8.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,881

$81.8 ₺3,974

22.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ₺4,583

$93.6 ₺4,545

0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₺48.1K

$417 ₺20.3K

137.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 ₺31.0K

$316 ₺15.4K

101.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 ₺94.5K

$756 ₺36.7K

157.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₺55.5K

$649 ₺31.5K

76.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 ₺144.6K

$1,467 ₺71.2K

102.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,694 ₺82.3K

$984 ₺47.8K

72.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 ₺58.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.26

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

Last update for Istanbul: September 5, 2026

Last update for Maltepe: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $991 in Istanbul versus $417 in Maltepe. 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 $51.0 in Istanbul versus $30.00 in Maltepe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $234 – making Maltepe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Maltepe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,242 per month in Istanbul and $1,563 in Maltepe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maltepe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $978 per month in Istanbul and $561 in Maltepe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Istanbul, 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 Maltepe, where all-in costs run around $1,042, than in Istanbul at $1,494. In Maltepe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maltepe – 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 Maltepe. 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.