Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Radom

For one person, living is cheaper in Radom: $1,207 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Radom
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,207
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Radom

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,207 in Radom, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Radom $1,207

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,690 in Radom, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Radom $1,690

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,173 in Radom, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Radom $2,173

Istanbul costs about 28% more than Radom, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Radom is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$6.95 zł 27.00
76.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$34.57 zł 134
58.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$7.70 zł 29.92
19.74%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$3.47 zł 13.49
26.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$2.20 zł 8.53
-23.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$2.61 zł 10.14
-77.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$3.16 zł 12.29
48.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$4.50 zł 17.50
31.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$0.89 zł 3.47
35.96%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.24 zł 4.82
-28.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$0.68 zł 2.63
222.06%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$2.93 zł 11.38
-19.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$7.72 zł 30.01
34.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$4.87 zł 18.93
16.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$8.65 zł 33.62
142.08%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$0.83 zł 3.24
128.92%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$1.40 zł 5.43
65.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.24 zł 4.81
3.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$2.31 zł 8.96
-22.08%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$0.60 zł 2.33
8.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$0.84 zł 3.26
-23.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.03 zł 4.01
21.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.58 zł 2.24
-3.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$4.84 zł 18.81
-51.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$6.17 zł 23.97
117.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.00 zł 3.87
140.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.01 zł 3.91
244.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$0.88 zł 3.42
1.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$25.55 zł 99.3
163.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$1.76 zł 6.83
-26.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$0.73 zł 2.85
26.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$10.76 zł 41.80
1.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.62 zł 6.31
-9.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$30.5K zł 118.5K
66.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$26.1K zł 101.5K
70.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$276 zł 1,074
-67.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$8.02 zł 31.15
44.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$13.35 zł 51.9
18.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$45.72 zł 178
68.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$12.93 zł 50.2
75.87%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$5.19 zł 20.15
56.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$231 zł 898
336.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$12.0K zł 46.5K
113.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$30.80 zł 120
75.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$20.25 zł 78.7
101.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$63.7 zł 248
55.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$38.53 zł 150
150.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$362 zł 1,405
172.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$413 zł 1,604
57.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$655 zł 2,545
202.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$623 zł 2,422
89.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$1,984 zł 7,708
58.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$1,664 zł 6,464
6.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Radom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$1,049 zł 4,076
14.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
7.08
477.97%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Radom: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Radom
$413 36.5% $237
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Radom
$172 33.7% $88
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Radom
$164 26.4% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Radom
$69 47.2% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Radom
$298 157% $182
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Radom
$56 40% $37
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Radom
$34 55.1% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $362 in Radom. 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 15% 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 $35.00 in Radom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $172 – making Radom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇵🇱 Radom
🕒 Local time
19:45 7:45 PM
18:45 6:45 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
208,091
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Radom 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Radom

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 Radom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Radom cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 28%, 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 $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,810 in Radom. 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 Radom, 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 $231 in Radom. 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 Radom?
Groceries cost about 51% 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 $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Radom?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Radom, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Radom it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Radom more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Radom – 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 Radom?
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 Radom. 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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