Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Plzen Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Plzen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,538 per month in Istanbul vs $1,844 in Plzen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $2,549 in Plzen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,241 per month in Istanbul vs $3,254 in Plzen, rent included.

Istanbul is about 17% cheaper than Plzen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Istanbul and Plzen sit above the global median – Istanbul by 12%, Plzen by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 ₺498

$10.94 Kč 227

-6.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₺2,513

$53.4 Kč 1,110

-2.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 ₺443

$9.79 Kč 203

-6.54%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₺203

$3.31 Kč 68.8

26.89%

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

$1.68 ₺81.5

$2.13 Kč 44.18

-21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.67

$1.86 Kč 38.61

-68.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ₺198

$2.97 Kč 61.7

37.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 ₺292

$2.94 Kč 61.0

105.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.3

$1.21 Kč 25.10

0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.74

$1.75 Kč 36.41

-46.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ₺115

$3.23 Kč 67.1

-26.63%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺119

$4.32 Kč 89.9

-43.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 ₺523

$14.59 Kč 303

-25.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺260

$10.45 Kč 217

-48.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.07 ₺1,020

$17.04 Kč 354

23.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺95.6

$2.32 Kč 48.21

-15.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ₺110

$1.97 Kč 41.05

15.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ₺56.7

$2.44 Kč 50.7

-52.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 ₺94.0

$3.68 Kč 76.4

-47.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₺30.26

$1.30 Kč 27.09

-51.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₺27.26

$1.38 Kč 28.59

-59.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺52.8

$1.72 Kč 35.83

-36.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺30.18

$0.81 Kč 16.75

-23.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺113

$7.12 Kč 148

-67.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 ₺663

$7.33 Kč 152

86.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₺117

$1.47 Kč 30.56

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₺162

$1.82 Kč 37.89

84.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.10

$1.38 Kč 28.70

-35.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.7 ₺3,324

$29.30 Kč 609

134.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₺66.4

$2.11 Kč 43.88

-35.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 ₺43.05

$1.46 Kč 30.38

-39.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺526

$14.36 Kč 298

-24.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₺66.1

$1.87 Kč 38.85

-26.74%

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

$52.1K ₺2.5M

$32.1K Kč 667.8K

62.27%

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

$43.6K ₺2.1M

$31.9K Kč 662.4K

36.95%

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

$90.0 ₺4,358

$284 Kč 5,908

-68.33%

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

$11.49 ₺556

$18.35 Kč 381

-37.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.30 ₺789

$17.39 Kč 361

-6.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ₺3,458

$63.7 Kč 1,325

12.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.13 ₺1,120

$15.67 Kč 326

47.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 ₺392

$12.12 Kč 252

-33.25%

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

$989 ₺47.9K

$339 Kč 7,056

191.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K ₺1.3M

$11.0K Kč 228.8K

150.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 ₺2,596

$84.9 Kč 1,764

-36.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 ₺1,958

$46.21 Kč 960

-12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,888

$90.7 Kč 1,884

11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 ₺4,508

$117 Kč 2,435

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ₺47.2K

$768 Kč 16.0K

26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₺31.1K

$741 Kč 15.4K

-13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 ₺93.2K

$982 Kč 20.4K

95.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 ₺57.0K

$959 Kč 19.9K

22.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,080 ₺149.1K

$5,264 Kč 109.4K

-41.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,690 ₺81.8K

$4,188 Kč 87.0K

-59.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,219 ₺59.0K

$1,955 Kč 40.6K

-37.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

4.71

772.40%

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

Last update for Istanbul: August 31, 2026

Last update for Plzen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 in Istanbul versus $768 in Plzen. 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 60% higher in Plzen, 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 $53.0 in Plzen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $307 – making Istanbul 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 Plzen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plzen is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,307 per month in Istanbul and $2,766 in Plzen. 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 $989 per month in Istanbul and $339 in Plzen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Plzen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,538, than in Plzen at $1,844. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plzen 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, Plzen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.