Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Morbi

For one person, living is cheaper in Morbi: $379 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
18

Cost of Living Index in Morbi
Learn more

Morbi Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Morbi

🇮🇳 India

$379

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Morbi

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $379 in Morbi, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Morbi $379

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $580 in Morbi, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Morbi $580

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $781 in Morbi, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Morbi $781

Istanbul costs about 309% more than Morbi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Morbi is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$1.83 ₹174

572.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$8.13 ₹772

572.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$2.66 ₹253

246.62%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$1.50 ₹142

193.33%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.32 ₹30.33

425.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.10 ₹9.95

490.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$1.23 ₹117

282.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$2.05 ₹194

188.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.63 ₹60.3

92.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.46 ₹44.05

93.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$0.59 ₹55.8

271.19%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$0.90 ₹85.9

161.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$6.36 ₹604

63.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$1.62 ₹154

248.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.32 ₹220

-18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$0.43 ₹40.50

437.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.02 ₹96.9

25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.59 ₹55.8

205.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.41 ₹38.68

58.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.43 ₹40.70

48.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.48 ₹45.87

160.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.31 ₹29.84

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$2.79 ₹265

-15.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$5.55 ₹527

141.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.61 ₹153

49.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.85 ₹176

88.11%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.16 ₹490

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.32 ₹30.70

178.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$7.63 ₹725

783.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.50 ₹47.93

158.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.25 ₹23.53

268.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$1.27 ₹121

762.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$0.93 ₹88.7

58.06%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$13.8K ₹1.3M

267.63%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

255.69%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$57.0 ₹5,413

55.46%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$3.63 ₹345

219.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$6.11 ₹580

158.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$19.73 ₹1,874

291.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$6.45 ₹612

252.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$3.12 ₹297

160.90%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$65.6 ₹6,231

1436.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$1,659 ₹157.5K

1440.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$23.00 ₹2,184

134.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$28.16 ₹2,674

44.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$40.67 ₹3,862

143.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$29.56 ₹2,807

226.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$123 ₹11.6K

703.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$72.9 ₹6,919

791.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$265 ₹25.2K

648.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$156 ₹14.8K

656.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$994 ₹94.4K

215.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$562 ₹53.4K

216.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$552 ₹52.4K

118.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

8.73

368.73%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Morbi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Morbi

$73 19.2% 88.8% $577

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Morbi

$96 25.3% 63.1% $164

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Morbi

$53 13.9% 76.5% $171

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Morbi

$55 14.4% 58.2% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Morbi

$67 17.6% 42.5% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Morbi

$26 6.9% 72.2% $67

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Morbi

$11 2.8% 86.1% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $123 in Morbi. 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 118% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $8.00 in Morbi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $96.0 – making Morbi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇮🇳 Morbi

🕒 Local time

07:42 7:42 AM

10:12 10:12 AM

2 h 30 min ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

194,947

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Morbi 4,380 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Morbi

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 Morbi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 309%, 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 $569 in Morbi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Morbi, 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 $65.6 in Morbi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 171% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Morbi, where all-in costs run around $379, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Morbi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Morbi – 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 Morbi. 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.