Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Moscow Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Moscow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Istanbul vs $1,648 in Moscow, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Istanbul vs $2,603 in Moscow, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,970 per month in Istanbul vs $3,557 in Moscow, rent included.

Istanbul is about 11% cheaper than Moscow, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Istanbul and Moscow sit above the global median – Istanbul by 10%, Moscow by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 ₺534

$12.91 ₽953

-9.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₺2,371

$56.8 ₽4,192

-9.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₺346

$6.28 ₽463

19.75%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₺159

$3.16 ₽233

9.18%

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

$1.30 ₺60.0

$1.38 ₽102

-5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺21.34

$0.68 ₽50.3

-32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₺172

$4.54 ₽335

-17.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₺228

$4.51 ₽333

9.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺48.93

$1.33 ₽97.9

-20.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.99

$0.89 ₽65.5

-6.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₺104

$1.76 ₽130

28.98%

Eggs

$2.63 ₺121

$1.85 ₽137

42.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₺466

$12.90 ₽952

-21.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ₺299

$5.89 ₽435

10.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 ₺897

$12.24 ₽903

59.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.1

$1.89 ₽140

-20.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺105

$2.11 ₽156

8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.2

$2.36 ₽174

-45.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺74.9

$4.15 ₽306

-60.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.72

$0.98 ₽72.4

-27.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.54

$0.85 ₽62.4

-14.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺51.8

$1.72 ₽127

-34.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺26.29

$0.81 ₽59.9

-29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺98.8

$3.10 ₽229

-30.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ₺559

$10.90 ₽804

11.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺98.3

$1.09 ₽80.1

96.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₺146

$2.37 ₽175

34.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.27

$0.87 ₽64.4

-17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ₺2,515

$38.26 ₽2,824

43.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.44

$2.52 ₽186

-58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺26.74

$0.47 ₽34.89

23.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₺411

$8.10 ₽597

10.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺55.6

$0.81 ₽59.9

49.38%

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

$45.1K ₺2.1M

$38.1K ₽2.8M

18.45%

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

$43.3K ₺2.0M

$37.2K ₽2.7M

16.59%

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

$73.2 ₺3,363

$151 ₽11.1K

-51.51%

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

$12.25 ₺563

$7.97 ₽588

53.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.15 ₺696

$7.99 ₽590

89.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₺2,838

$46.81 ₽3,454

31.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 ₺863

$34.68 ₽2,559

-45.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 ₺355

$6.26 ₽462

23.48%

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

$938 ₺43.1K

$707 ₽52.1K

32.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺839.6K

$14.5K ₽1.1M

25.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,569

$87.9 ₽6,484

-36.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.45 ₺2,181

$53.3 ₽3,935

-11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,267

$131 ₽9,631

-12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,867

$159 ₽11.7K

-33.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₺43.7K

$1,317 ₽97.2K

-27.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₺28.5K

$734 ₽54.1K

-15.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺81.4K

$3,005 ₽221.7K

-41.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₺48.1K

$1,393 ₽102.8K

-24.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,147 ₺144.7K

$11.7K ₽865.8K

-73.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺76.5K

$5,027 ₽370.9K

-66.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺55.3K

$2,075 ₽153.1K

-42.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

24.39

98.56%

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

Last update for Istanbul: May 31, 2026

Last update for Moscow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Istanbul versus $1,317 in Moscow. 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 73% higher in Moscow, 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $57.0 in Moscow. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Istanbul vs $247 in Moscow – so Moscow wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Moscow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Moscow is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,207 per month in Istanbul and $2,473 in Moscow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $938 per month in Istanbul and $707 in Moscow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Moscow – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,472, than in Moscow at $1,648. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moscow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.