Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Metkovic

For one person, living costs are similar in Istanbul and in Metkovic: $1,550 and $1,559 a month, rent and utilities included.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Metkovic
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,559
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Metkovic

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,559 in Metkovic, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Metkovic $1,559

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,340 in Metkovic, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Metkovic $2,340

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $3,120 in Metkovic, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Metkovic $3,120

Istanbul is about 1% cheaper than Metkovic, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Istanbul and Metkovic sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Metkovic by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺607
$10.94 €9.77
12.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,702
$44.40 €39.65
23.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺455
$7.84 €7.00
17.60%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$1.63 €1.46
169.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺82.9
$3.95 €3.53
-57.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.33
$3.00 €2.68
-80.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺232
$5.45 €4.87
-13.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$4.56 €4.07
29.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺59.9
$1.13 €1.01
7.08%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.00
$1.69 €1.51
-47.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$3.15 €2.81
-30.48%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$5.01 €4.48
-53.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺515
$14.98 €13.38
-30.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺279
$9.45 €8.44
-40.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,034
$11.75 €10.49
78.21%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺93.9
$1.95 €1.74
-2.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$1.57 €1.40
47.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.0
$2.07 €1.85
-38.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺88.8
$2.69 €2.40
-33.09%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.09
$2.17 €1.94
-70.05%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.84
$2.10 €1.87
-69.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.0
$1.59 €1.42
-21.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.52
$1.59 €1.42
-64.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺117
$5.42 €4.84
-56.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺663
$7.82 €6.99
71.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.36 €1.22
76.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.47 €1.32
136.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.74
$1.81 €1.61
-50.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,331
$49.88 €44.54
35.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.0
$3.07 €2.74
-57.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.60
$1.36 €1.21
-32.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺541
$12.89 €11.51
-14.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.8
$1.86 €1.66
-20.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$26.5K €23.6K
91.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$25.0K €22.4K
77.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,378
$182 €162
-51.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺573
$27.59 €24.64
-57.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺781
$43.37 €38.73
-63.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,812
$57.8 €51.6
33.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,123
$13.30 €11.88
70.98%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺402
$8.97 €8.01
-9.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.8K
$417 €373
141.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$6,920 €6,180
269.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,665
$90.2 €80.5
-40.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,017
$43.85 €39.16
-6.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,885
$102 €91.5
-3.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,772
$79.1 €70.6
22.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.6K
$766 €684
28.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.1K
$536 €479
21.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.0K
$1,307 €1,167
51.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.3K
$944 €843
24.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.0K
$4,028 €3,597
-22.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺87.9K
$2,904 €2,593
-38.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Metkovic
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.5K
$660 €590
82.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
3.72
1000.00%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Metkovic: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Metkovic
$536 17.5% $114
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Metkovic
$291 11.9% $31
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Metkovic
$195 12.7% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Metkovic
$142 8.7% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Metkovic
$253 118% $137
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Metkovic
$76 19% $18
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Metkovic
$67 12.9% $9.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $766 in Metkovic. 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 83% higher in Istanbul, 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 $44.00 in Metkovic. Groceries tell a different story – $260 in Istanbul vs $291 in Metkovic – so Istanbul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇭🇷 Metkovic
🕒 Local time
14:08 2:08 PM
13:08 1:08 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
15,235
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 49.4 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.32 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Metkovic 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Metkovic

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 Metkovic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Metkovic cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Metkovic is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $2,338 in Metkovic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $417 in Metkovic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Metkovic?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Metkovic, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Metkovic?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Metkovic at $1,559. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Metkovic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Metkovic more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Metkovic?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Metkovic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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