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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Istanbul vs $1,631 in Plzen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,251 per month in Istanbul vs $2,286 in Plzen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,035 per month in Istanbul vs $2,940 in Plzen, rent included.

Istanbul is about 10% cheaper than Plzen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Istanbul and Plzen sit above the global median – Istanbul by 10%, Plzen by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.20 ₺528

$9.54 Kč 202

17.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,406

$46.28 Kč 980

10.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 ₺363

$8.33 Kč 176

-7.44%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ₺170

$3.02 Kč 64.0

19.21%

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

$1.29 ₺61.0

$2.01 Kč 42.60

-35.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺23.15

$1.68 Kč 35.47

-70.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₺178

$2.73 Kč 57.7

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 ₺236

$2.86 Kč 60.5

74.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₺52.2

$1.17 Kč 24.88

-5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₺35.57

$1.59 Kč 33.68

-52.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺104

$2.44 Kč 51.6

-9.84%

Eggs

$2.70 ₺127

$3.26 Kč 69.0

-17.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ₺479

$12.66 Kč 268

-19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ₺305

$8.99 Kč 190

-28.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.78 ₺933

$14.39 Kč 305

37.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺70.9

$1.77 Kč 37.40

-15.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺107

$1.74 Kč 36.78

31.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₺61.2

$2.16 Kč 45.83

-39.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺77.0

$3.62 Kč 76.7

-54.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺33.62

$1.25 Kč 26.55

-43.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₺34.18

$1.22 Kč 25.84

-40.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺53.3

$1.51 Kč 32.07

-25.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺29.01

$0.82 Kč 17.33

-24.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₺103

$6.91 Kč 146

-68.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 ₺612

$7.06 Kč 150

83.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₺105

$1.12 Kč 23.70

98.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₺145

$1.62 Kč 34.40

90.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.96

$1.23 Kč 26.02

-41.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 ₺2,524

$26.32 Kč 557

103.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺49.34

$2.07 Kč 43.84

-49.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺27.34

$1.26 Kč 26.72

-53.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 ₺431

$14.28 Kč 302

-35.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺56.9

$1.66 Kč 35.15

-27.11%

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

$45.2K ₺2.1M

$28.3K Kč 600.3K

59.41%

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

$44.0K ₺2.1M

$29.9K Kč 634.3K

46.98%

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

$71.7 ₺3,380

$254 Kč 5,374

-71.75%

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

$12.50 ₺589

$25.33 Kč 537

-50.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.63 ₺690

$20.43 Kč 433

-28.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 ₺2,881

$63.1 Kč 1,336

-3.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 ₺864

$14.14 Kč 300

29.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 ₺359

$10.38 Kč 220

-26.78%

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

$934 ₺44.0K

$326 Kč 6,914

186.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K ₺870.8K

$8,778 Kč 185.9K

110.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₺2,613

$81.5 Kč 1,725

-31.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.26 ₺2,229

$43.59 Kč 923

8.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 ₺5,275

$90.8 Kč 1,923

23.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,977

$113 Kč 2,390

-6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ₺44.6K

$645 Kč 13.7K

46.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₺28.7K

$606 Kč 12.8K

0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 ₺83.0K

$885 Kč 18.7K

99.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 ₺50.0K

$841 Kč 17.8K

26.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,087 ₺145.6K

$5,107 Kč 108.2K

-39.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 ₺79.0K

$4,091 Kč 86.6K

-59.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,174 ₺55.4K

$1,934 Kč 41.0K

-39.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

5.47

785.37%

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

Last update for Istanbul: July 11, 2026

Last update for Plzen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Istanbul versus $645 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 65% 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 $51.0 in Istanbul versus $46.00 in Plzen. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Istanbul vs $268 in Plzen – so Istanbul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 11%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,200 per month in Istanbul and $2,447 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 $934 per month in Istanbul and $326 in Plzen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $1,467, than in Plzen at $1,631. 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.