Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Ourense

For one person, living is cheaper in Ourense: $1,341 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Ourense
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,341
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Ourense

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,341 in Ourense, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Ourense $1,341

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,961 in Ourense, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Ourense $1,961

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,581 in Ourense, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Ourense $2,581

Istanbul costs about 16% more than Ourense, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Ourense is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$13.56 €12.06
-9.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$51.2 €45.53
6.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$9.29 €8.26
-0.75%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$1.84 €1.64
139.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$2.64 €2.35
-36.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$1.62 €1.44
-63.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$3.59 €3.20
30.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$3.59 €3.19
64.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.17 €1.04
3.42%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.16 €1.03
-23.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.39 €1.24
57.55%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$3.17 €2.82
-25.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$9.60 €8.54
8.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$7.37 €6.56
-23.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$13.68 €12.17
53.07%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$2.28 €2.03
-16.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$2.12 €1.89
8.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.54 €1.37
-16.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$2.27 €2.02
-20.70%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$1.63 €1.45
-60.12%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$1.63 €1.45
-60.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.05 €0.93
19.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.46 €0.41
21.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$5.69 €5.06
-58.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$5.40 €4.80
148.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.21 €1.07
98.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$2.26 €2.01
53.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$0.94 €0.83
-5.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$27.44 €24.41
145.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$4.36 €3.88
-70.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.11 €0.99
-17.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$19.05 €16.95
-42.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.68 €1.49
-12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$24.2K €21.6K
109.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$27.5K €24.5K
61.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$104 €92.9
-15.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$19.22 €17.10
-39.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$28.17 €25.05
-43.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$41.63 €37.03
85.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$12.68 €11.28
79.34%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$8.54 €7.60
-4.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$349 €311
188.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$8,483 €7,546
201.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$102 €91.1
-47.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$36.23 €32.23
12.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$82.1 €73.0
20.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$81.8 €72.8
18.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$651 €579
51.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$524 €466
24.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$818 €728
142.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$687 €611
71.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$3,241 €2,883
-3.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$2,217 €1,972
-19.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Ourense
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$1,616 €1,437
-25.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
2.96
1282.43%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ourense: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Ourense
$524 19.4% $126
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Ourense
$229 11.8% $31
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Ourense
$201 10.1% $23
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Ourense
$136 4.2% $5.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Ourense
$152 30.8% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Ourense
$59 37.2% $35
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Ourense
$41 46.6% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $651 in Ourense. 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 34% higher in Ourense, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $51.0 in Ourense. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $229 – making Ourense the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇪🇸 Ourense
🕒 Local time
01:11 1:11 AM
00:11 12:11 AM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
104,250
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Ourense 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Ourense

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 Ourense: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ourense cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $2,012 in Ourense. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ourense, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $349 in Ourense. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Ourense?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Ourense?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ourense, where all-in costs run around $1,341, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Ourense it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Ourense more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ourense – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Ourense?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ourense. 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.

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