Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Mugla Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Mugla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Istanbul vs $1,091 in Mugla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Istanbul vs $1,779 in Mugla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,970 per month in Istanbul vs $2,468 in Mugla, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 35% more than Mugla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Istanbul sits 10% above the global median, while Mugla is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 ₺534

$7.68 ₺353

51.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₺2,371

$25.28 ₺1,162

104.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₺346

$7.82 ₺360

-3.84%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₺159

$3.32 ₺153

3.92%

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

$1.30 ₺60.0

$1.06 ₺48.60

22.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺21.34

$0.39 ₺17.76

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₺172

$3.35 ₺154

11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₺228

$3.77 ₺173

31.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺48.93

$0.88 ₺40.66

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.99

$0.61 ₺28.07

36.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₺104

$2.24 ₺103

1.34%

Eggs

$2.63 ₺121

$2.24 ₺103

17.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₺466

$9.88 ₺454

2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ₺299

$6.18 ₺284

5.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 ₺897

$18.33 ₺842

6.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.1

$1.19 ₺54.9

26.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺105

$1.93 ₺88.7

18.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.2

$0.95 ₺43.72

35.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺74.9

$1.29 ₺59.4

26.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.72

$0.72 ₺33.00

-1.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.54

$0.53 ₺24.45

37.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺51.8

$0.88 ₺40.28

28.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺26.29

$0.40 ₺18.28

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺98.8

$2.06 ₺94.9

4.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ₺559

$6.01 ₺276

102.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺98.3

$2.11 ₺97.0

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₺146

$2.58 ₺118

23.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.27

$0.57 ₺26.28

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ₺2,515

$30.56 ₺1,405

79.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.44

$0.80 ₺36.60

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺26.74

$0.56 ₺25.86

3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₺411

$5.54 ₺255

61.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺55.6

$1.20 ₺55.0

0.83%

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

$45.1K ₺2.1M

$48.6K ₺2.2M

-7.03%

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

$43.3K ₺2.0M

$45.4K ₺2.1M

-4.55%

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

$73.2 ₺3,363

$47.57 ₺2,186

53.82%

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

$12.25 ₺563

$5.50 ₺253

122.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.15 ₺696

$8.86 ₺407

70.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₺2,838

$89.6 ₺4,120

-31.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 ₺863

$16.99 ₺781

10.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 ₺355

$4.57 ₺210

69.15%

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

$938 ₺43.1K

$646 ₺29.7K

45.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺839.6K

$8,897 ₺409.0K

105.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,569

$37.42 ₺1,720

49.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.45 ₺2,181

$34.84 ₺1,601

36.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,267

$85.3 ₺3,919

34.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,867

$44.02 ₺2,023

140.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₺43.7K

$583 ₺26.8K

63.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₺28.5K

$451 ₺20.7K

37.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺81.4K

$1,816 ₺83.5K

-2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₺48.1K

$968 ₺44.5K

8.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,147 ₺144.7K

$1,529 ₺70.3K

105.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺76.5K

$866 ₺39.8K

92.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺55.3K

$1,192 ₺54.8K

0.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

30.12

60.79%

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

Last update for Istanbul: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mugla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Istanbul versus $583 in Mugla. 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 1% 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $25.00 in Mugla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $215 – making Mugla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mugla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,636 in Mugla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mugla, 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 $646 in Mugla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 Mugla, where all-in costs run around $1,091, than in Istanbul at $1,472. In Mugla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mugla – 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 Mugla. 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.