Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Moratuwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $1,516 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$1,516

/mo nomad

Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Moratuwa

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

A single person spends $1,516 per month in Istanbul vs $131 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Istanbul $1,516
Moratuwa $131

A couple spends around $2,356 per month in Istanbul vs $211 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Istanbul $2,356
Moratuwa $211

A family of three spends $3,197 per month in Istanbul vs $291 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Istanbul $3,197
Moratuwa $291

Istanbul costs about 1055% more than Moratuwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 11% above the global median, while Moratuwa is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 ₺577

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ₺468

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₺211

$1.84 LKR 611

129.89%

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

$1.72 ₺85.6

$0.71 LKR 234

142.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺28.26

$0.15 LKR 49.28

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 ₺232

$1.85 LKR 616

151.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 ₺341

$2.46 LKR 816

178.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₺60.0

$1.25 LKR 417

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺46.97

$0.46 LKR 154

104.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ₺112

$0.82 LKR 272

173.17%

Eggs

$2.42 ₺121

$2.36 LKR 785

2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ₺510

$12.27 LKR 4,078

-16.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺268

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.19 ₺1,056

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₺94.3

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 ₺111

$0.46 LKR 154

382.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₺62.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₺90.0

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₺34.84

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.13

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₺60.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₺27.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ₺663

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₺116

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₺172

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₺45.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.3 ₺3,306

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₺42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺553

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ₺70.8

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

$49.2K ₺2.5M

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

$42.8K ₺2.1M

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

$87.7 ₺4,373

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

$11.28 ₺562

$4.44 LKR 1,475

154.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺792

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 ₺3,783

$15.01 LKR 4,989

405.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.04 ₺1,148

$3.08 LKR 1,024

648.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₺409

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

$1,028 ₺51.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,658

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.69 ₺1,978

$6.05 LKR 2,013

556.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 ₺4,972

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,661

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 ₺50.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 ₺31.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 ₺97.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 ₺55.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 ₺153.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,753 ₺87.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 ₺58.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 27, 2026

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$628 41.5%

Moratuwa

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Moratuwa

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.4%

Moratuwa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Moratuwa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$115 7.6%

Moratuwa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$92 6.1%

Moratuwa

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$76 5%

Moratuwa

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🕒 Local time

01:52 1:52 AM

04:22 4:22 AM

2 h 30 min ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

207,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.01 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Moratuwa 6,300 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Moratuwa

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 Moratuwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 1055%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,274 per month in Istanbul and $197 in Moratuwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,516 in Istanbul and $131 in Moratuwa. That makes Moratuwa about 91% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 272% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Moratuwa, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Istanbul at $1,516. In Moratuwa 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 $131 in Moratuwa to $1,516 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.