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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Istanbul vs $1,063 in Maltepe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,186 per month in Istanbul vs $1,652 in Maltepe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,953 per month in Istanbul vs $2,241 in Maltepe, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 33% more than Maltepe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Istanbul sits 6% above the global median, while Maltepe is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.19 ₺530

$11.21 ₺531

-0.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,414

$29.87 ₺1,414

70.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 ₺352

$6.44 ₺305

15.53%

Cappuccino

$3.44 ₺163

$2.42 ₺115

42.15%

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

$1.37 ₺64.7

$1.03 ₺48.90

33.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₺23.65

$0.40 ₺18.86

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 ₺179

$2.00 ₺94.7

89.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 ₺245

$2.56 ₺121

102.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₺52.6

$0.98 ₺46.28

13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ₺38.69

$0.69 ₺32.59

18.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₺105

$2.29 ₺108

-3.06%

Eggs

$2.73 ₺129

$2.20 ₺104

24.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 ₺479

$9.73 ₺461

4.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 ₺313

$5.09 ₺241

29.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.84 ₺940

$19.57 ₺927

1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ₺71.8

$1.51 ₺71.4

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ₺108

$2.28 ₺108

-0.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₺63.0

$1.35 ₺63.8

-1.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺77.1

$1.56 ₺74.0

4.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₺35.38

$0.70 ₺33.25

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₺31.56

$0.69 ₺32.65

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₺53.0

$0.72 ₺34.19

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺29.20

$0.61 ₺28.93

1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 ₺101

$2.20 ₺104

-2.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 ₺611

$10.63 ₺503

21.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₺106

$2.20 ₺104

1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₺144

$3.17 ₺150

-4.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 ₺31.22

$0.67 ₺31.77

-1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ₺2,576

$31.04 ₺1,470

75.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺51.4

$1.05 ₺49.94

3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺30.16

$0.59 ₺28.14

8.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 ₺430

$8.92 ₺423

1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₺55.3

$1.16 ₺54.8

0.86%

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

$44.9K ₺2.1M

$44.8K ₺2.1M

0.03%

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

$42.8K ₺2.0M

$43.2K ₺2.0M

-0.98%

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

$71.9 ₺3,402

$61.4 ₺2,907

17.04%

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

$12.34 ₺584

$11.13 ₺527

10.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.96 ₺708

$13.06 ₺618

14.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 ₺2,881

$43.76 ₺2,072

39.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.88 ₺894

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 ₺357

$7.66 ₺363

-1.70%

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

$949 ₺44.9K

$928 ₺43.9K

2.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K ₺873.1K

$6,085 ₺288.1K

203.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₺2,621

$40.98 ₺1,940

35.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.29 ₺2,192

$46.28 ₺2,191

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 ₺5,253

$57.2 ₺2,706

94.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺5,036

$107 ₺5,089

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$968 ₺45.9K

$503 ₺23.8K

92.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 ₺29.4K

$388 ₺18.4K

59.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₺84.4K

$871 ₺41.3K

104.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 ₺50.4K

$711 ₺33.7K

49.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,081 ₺145.9K

$1,420 ₺67.2K

116.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,693 ₺80.1K

$1,004 ₺47.6K

68.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 ₺59.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

51.34%

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

Last update for Istanbul: July 22, 2026

Last update for Maltepe: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $968 in Istanbul versus $503 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: $255 vs $235 – 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 33%, 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 $2,128 per month in Istanbul and $1,594 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 $949 per month in Istanbul and $928 in Maltepe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $1,063, than in Istanbul at $1,419. 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.