Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Mary

For one person, living is cheaper in Mary: $471 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Mary

🇹🇲 Turkmenistan

$471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Mary

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $471 in Mary, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Mary $471

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $713 in Mary, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Mary $713

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $956 in Mary, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Mary $956

Istanbul costs about 223% more than Mary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Mary is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$11.42 TMT 38.36

3.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$8.85 TMT 29.73

4.63%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$8.48 TMT 28.48

-49.29%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$12.99 TMT 43.66

-86.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$1.42 TMT 4.78

-60.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$14.23 TMT 47.82

-67.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$11.73 TMT 39.40

-39.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$2.82 TMT 9.48

-55.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$7.07 TMT 23.74

-65.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$2.33 TMT 7.83

-20.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$1.49 TMT 4.99

20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$2.07 TMT 6.94

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$1.79 TMT 6.02

-64.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$1.14 TMT 3.84

-49.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$17.64 TMT 59.3

-86.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

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

$11.20 ₺562

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

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

$948 ₺47.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$216 TMT 726

425.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Mary: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Mary

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Mary

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Mary

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Mary

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Mary

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Mary

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Mary

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Istanbul are about 5.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇲 Mary

🕒 Local time

06:29 6:29 AM

08:29 8:29 AM

2 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

123,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Turkmenistani Manat TMT m

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1 TMT = 0.298 USD

1 TMT = 0.265 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TMT, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.3 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Turkmenistani Manat exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.36 TMT (1 TMT = 0.298 USD). 1 EUR = 3.77 TMT (1 TMT = 0.265 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Istanbul Mary 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Mary

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 Mary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 223%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $706 in Mary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,519 in Istanbul and $471 in Mary. That makes Mary about 69% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 161% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Mary, where all-in costs run around $471, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Mary 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 $471 in Mary 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 Mary. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.