Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Osh

For one person, living is cheaper in Osh: $691 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Osh
Learn more

Osh Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Osh

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

$691

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Osh

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $691 in Osh, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Osh $691

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $1,118 in Osh, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Osh $1,118

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,544 in Osh, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Osh $1,544

Istanbul costs about 121% more than Osh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Osh is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$4.46 KGS 389

166.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,715

$23.08 KGS 2,016

138.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$9.33 KGS 815

-2.04%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$1.91 KGS 166

121.99%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.84 KGS 73.3

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.84

$0.28 KGS 24.69

92.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$1.12 KGS 97.8

318.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$1.29 KGS 113

362.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$0.86 KGS 74.7

46.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.82

$0.38 KGS 32.80

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.21 KGS 106

90.91%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$1.45 KGS 127

70.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$4.84 KGS 423

117.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$3.52 KGS 308

59.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$7.92 KGS 692

167.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$0.67 KGS 58.7

188.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.55 KGS 135

47.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.21 KGS 193

-42.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$1.19 KGS 104

54.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.87

$0.47 KGS 40.85

42.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$0.46 KGS 40.28

28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$0.59 KGS 51.2

125.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.11

$0.70 KGS 61.2

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$2.11 KGS 184

11.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$5.08 KGS 444

165.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.11 KGS 96.7

118.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.65 KGS 144

114.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.65

$0.22 KGS 19.13

277.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,274

$11.97 KGS 1,046

455.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$0.24 KGS 20.99

462.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.06

$0.33 KGS 29.13

157.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$7.55 KGS 660

43.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.00 KGS 87.6

47.00%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$18.4K KGS 1.6M

181.01%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$17.0K KGS 1.5M

161.15%

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

$89.2 ₺4,396

$38.39 KGS 3,354

132.40%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$4.97 KGS 434

133.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$9.38 KGS 819

71.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,806

$45.54 KGS 3,979

69.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$20.09 KGS 1,755

12.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$3.33 KGS 291

150.45%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$169 KGS 14.7K

477.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$1,886 KGS 164.7K

1266.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$18.96 KGS 1,657

178.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,930

$36.46 KGS 3,185

7.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,084

$53.9 KGS 4,711

91.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,760

$52.2 KGS 4,561

85.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$367 KGS 32.0K

171.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$272 KGS 23.8K

131.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$900 KGS 78.7K

124.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$578 KGS 50.5K

99.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$1,233 KGS 107.7K

156.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$1,010 KGS 88.3K

81.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$308 KGS 26.9K

290.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Osh: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Osh

$272 38.8% 56.7% $357

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Osh

$138 19.7% 47.6% $126

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Osh

$99 14.1% 54.5% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Osh

$73 10.4% 44.6% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Osh

$53 7.5% 54.9% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Osh

$52 7.4% 44.4% $42

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Osh

$15 2.1% 80.4% $61

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $367 in Osh. 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 291% 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 $23.00 in Osh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $138 – making Osh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇰🇬 Osh

🕒 Local time

07:56 7:56 AM

10:56 10:56 AM

3 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

270,347

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Kyrgyzstani Som KGS сом

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 KGS = 1.14 USD

100 KGS = 1.02 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KGS, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.27 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.26 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 87.37 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 97.99 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Osh 3,650 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Osh

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 Osh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 121%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $1,037 in Osh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Osh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $169 in Osh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% 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 Osh, where all-in costs run around $691, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Osh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Osh – 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 Osh. 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.