Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Panevezys

For one person, living is cheaper in Panevezys: $1,250 a month against $1,516 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul, Turkey
Panevezys, Lithuania
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,516
/mo nomad
Panevezys
🇱🇹 Lithuania
$1,250
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Panevezys

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

A single person spends $1,516 per month in Istanbul vs $1,250 in Panevezys, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,516
  • Panevezys $1,250

A couple spends around $2,356 per month in Istanbul vs $1,876 in Panevezys, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,356
  • Panevezys $1,876

A family of three spends $3,197 per month in Istanbul vs $2,502 in Panevezys, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,197
  • Panevezys $2,502

Istanbul costs about 21% more than Panevezys, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 11% above the global median, while Panevezys is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.59 ₺579
$12.20 €10.93
-5.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,732
$51.3 €45.96
6.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.39 ₺469
$6.85 €6.14
37.08%
Cappuccino
$4.23 ₺211
$3.18 €2.85
33.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ₺85.9
$2.30 €2.06
-25.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57 ₺28.33
$1.92 €1.72
-70.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.65 ₺232
$3.96 €3.55
17.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.84 ₺342
$4.59 €4.11
49.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 ₺60.1
$1.23 €1.10
-2.44%
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 ₺47.09
$1.44 €1.29
-34.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ₺112
$1.72 €1.54
30.23%
Eggs
$2.42 ₺121
$2.96 €2.66
-18.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.24 ₺511
$10.20 €9.14
0.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.38 ₺269
$5.67 €5.08
-5.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.19 ₺1,059
$9.46 €8.48
124.00%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 ₺94.5
$1.63 €1.46
15.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 ₺111
$1.44 €1.29
54.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.26 ₺62.9
$1.66 €1.49
-24.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.81 ₺90.2
$3.10 €2.78
-41.61%
Potato (1kg)
$0.70 ₺34.93
$0.57 €0.51
22.81%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺32.21
$0.89 €0.80
-28.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 ₺61.0
$1.46 €1.31
-16.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ₺27.42
$0.83 €0.75
-33.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.32 ₺116
$5.46 €4.89
-57.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.31 ₺665
$8.17 €7.32
62.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 ₺116
$1.60 €1.44
45.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 ₺173
$1.74 €1.56
98.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.91 ₺45.29
$0.80 €0.72
13.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.3 ₺3,314
$34.49 €30.91
92.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.3
$3.17 €2.84
-59.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.86 ₺42.77
$0.86 €0.77
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.09 ₺554
$13.22 €11.85
-16.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 ₺70.9
$1.66 €1.49
-14.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.2K ₺2.5M
$27.4K €24.6K
79.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.8K ₺2.1M
$27.1K €24.3K
57.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.7 ₺4,384
$201 €180
-56.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ₺563
$15.13 €13.56
-25.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.89 ₺794
$13.99 €12.54
13.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$75.9 ₺3,792
$66.3 €59.4
14.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.04 ₺1,151
$22.08 €19.79
4.35%
Cinema Ticket
$8.20 ₺410
$9.05 €8.11
-9.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,028 ₺51.4K
$525 €470
95.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.0K ₺1.3M
$9,311 €8,344
178.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ₺2,664
$111 €99.6
-52.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.69 ₺1,983
$22.72 €20.36
74.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 ₺4,985
$81.9 €73.4
21.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.5 ₺4,673
$170 €152
-44.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,003 ₺50.1K
$420 €376
138.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$628 ₺31.4K
$295 €265
112.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,963 ₺98.1K
$660 €591
197.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 ₺56.0K
$423 €379
165.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,075 ₺153.6K
$1,780 €1,595
72.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,753 ₺87.6K
$1,010 €905
73.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Panevezys
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,180 ₺58.9K
$1,483 €1,329
-20.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.69
3.97
924.94%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 27, 2026

Last update for Panevezys: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$628
Panevezys
$295 53% $333
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$258
Panevezys
$219 15.2% $39
Eating Out
Istanbul
$218
Panevezys
$202 7.2% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Panevezys
$174 34.7% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$115
Panevezys
$230 100% $115
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$92
Panevezys
$84 8.6% $8
Getting Around
Istanbul
$76
Panevezys
$45 40.2% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Istanbul versus $420 in Panevezys. 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 26% higher in Panevezys, 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 in Istanbul versus $51 in Panevezys. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $219 – making Panevezys the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇱🇹 Panevezys
🕒 Local time
07:47 7:47 AM
06:47 6:47 AM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
99,690
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 49.96 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 55.78 TRY (100 TRY = 1.79 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Panevezys 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Panevezys

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 Panevezys: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Panevezys cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,274 per month in Istanbul and $1,874 in Panevezys. 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 Panevezys, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $420 there versus $1,003 in Istanbul.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,028 per month in Istanbul and $525 in Panevezys. 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 Panevezys?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Panevezys?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Panevezys, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Istanbul at $1,516. In Panevezys it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Panevezys more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Panevezys – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Panevezys is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Istanbul vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?