Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Manisa

For one person, living is cheaper in Manisa: $963 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Manisa
Learn more

Manisa Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Manisa

🇹🇷 Turkey

$963

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Manisa

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $963 in Manisa, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Manisa $963

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,527 in Manisa, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Manisa $1,527

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,092 in Manisa, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Manisa $2,092

Istanbul costs about 61% more than Manisa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Manisa is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$7.94 ₺393

54.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$26.27 ₺1,300

108.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$7.75 ₺384

18.97%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$2.97 ₺147

48.15%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.99 ₺49.25

69.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.26 ₺12.97

126.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$2.29 ₺113

105.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.33 ₺165

77.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.94 ₺46.71

28.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.78 ₺38.65

14.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.40 ₺119

-8.75%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.75 ₺86.9

34.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$7.02 ₺348

48.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$3.89 ₺193

45.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$19.19 ₺950

9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.87 ₺92.5

1.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.68 ₺83.2

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.23 ₺61.0

4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$1.09 ₺53.9

65.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.46 ₺22.92

41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.41 ₺20.11

56.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.81 ₺40.18

54.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.67 ₺33.07

-16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$1.65 ₺81.7

43.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$10.54 ₺522

27.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.26 ₺112

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.98 ₺98.0

75.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.59 ₺29.37

50.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$42.07 ₺2,083

60.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$2.60 ₺129

-50.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.58 ₺28.83

58.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$5.16 ₺255

112.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.28 ₺63.2

14.84%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$40.9K ₺2.0M

24.16%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$38.4K ₺1.9M

15.86%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$81.9 ₺4,053

8.23%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$14.48 ₺717

-19.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$8.01 ₺396

97.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$65.9 ₺3,262

17.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$32.44 ₺1,606

-29.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$3.94 ₺195

106.60%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$376 ₺18.6K

168.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$7,995 ₺395.8K

219.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$36.42 ₺1,803

48.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$26.48 ₺1,311

54.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$52.9 ₺2,620

86.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$59.8 ₺2,960

61.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$507 ₺25.1K

94.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$299 ₺14.8K

117.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,008 ₺49.9K

96.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$608 ₺30.1K

93.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$1,810 ₺89.6K

73.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$1,212 ₺60.0K

46.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$1,660 ₺82.2K

-27.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

43.33

-5.56%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Manisa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Manisa

$299 31% 54.1% $351

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Manisa

$212 22% 18.5% $48

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Manisa

$146 15.1% 34.8% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Manisa

$79 8.2% 39.5% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Manisa

$104 10.8% 10.1% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Manisa

$74 7.7% 21.1% $20

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Manisa

$50 5.2% 35% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $507 in Manisa. 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 38% higher in Manisa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $26.00 in Manisa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $212 – making Manisa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇷 Manisa

🕒 Local time

15:39 3:39 PM

Same time as Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

1,396,945

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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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 Manisa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 61%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,444 in Manisa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $376 in Manisa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 Manisa, where all-in costs run around $963, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Manisa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manisa – 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 Manisa. 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.