Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Rajshahi

For one person, living is cheaper in Rajshahi: $319 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
15

Cost of Living Index in Rajshahi
Learn more

Rajshahi Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Rajshahi

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$319

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Rajshahi

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $319 in Rajshahi, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Rajshahi $319

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $502 in Rajshahi, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Rajshahi $502

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $686 in Rajshahi, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Rajshahi $686

Istanbul costs about 386% more than Rajshahi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Rajshahi is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺607

$0.84 ৳103

1364.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,700

$7.99 ৳983

584.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺455

$2.81 ৳346

228.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 ৳486

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ৳274

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺217

$1.37 ৳168

221.17%

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

$1.68 ₺82.8

$0.33 ৳40.85

409.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$0.16 ৳19.09

268.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺232

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺59.8

$0.69 ৳84.5

75.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺43.97

$0.64 ৳78.4

39.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$0.63 ৳77.9

247.62%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.14 ৳140

106.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺514

$8.84 ৳1,088

17.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺279

$3.18 ৳392

77.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,033

$6.58 ৳810

218.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺93.8

$2.59 ৳319

-26.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$0.95 ৳117

143.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.0

$2.34 ৳288

-45.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺88.7

$0.48 ৳58.8

275.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.07

$0.24 ৳29.26

170.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.82

$0.46 ৳56.9

39.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺61.9

$0.32 ৳38.86

290.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.50

$0.30 ৳37.30

86.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.27 ৳1,510

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ৳197

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ৳255

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺117

$3.32 ৳409

-28.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺662

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.70

$0.07 ৳8.45

1171.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,328

$12.24 ৳1,507

450.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺63.9

$1.19 ৳146

8.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.56

$0.31 ৳37.71

196.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺541

$0.95 ৳117

1053.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.7

$1.14 ৳141

28.95%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$29.9K ৳3.7M

70.04%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$32.5K ৳4.0M

36.87%

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

$88.6 ₺4,374

$44.85 ৳5,521

97.57%

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

$11.59 ₺572

$4.12 ৳507

181.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺781

$10.36 ৳1,276

52.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,809

$5.93 ৳730

1201.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,122

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺402

$4.13 ৳509

97.09%

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

$1,008 ₺49.8K

$13.45 ৳1,656

7394.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$688 ৳84.7K

3613.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,663

$7.11 ৳875

658.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,015

$14.66 ৳1,805

178.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,881

$25.27 ৳3,111

291.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,768

$21.41 ৳2,636

351.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.6K

$74.5 ৳9,165

1222.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.1K

$46.35 ৳5,706

1301.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺97.9K

$133 ৳16.3K

1394.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.2K

$96.0 ৳11.8K

1129.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺154.9K

$495 ৳60.9K

534.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺87.9K

$2,284 ৳281.2K

-22.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.5K

$219 ৳27.0K

450.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

10.48

290.46%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rajshahi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Rajshahi

$46 14.5% 92.9% $603

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Rajshahi

$119 37.5% 54% $140

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Rajshahi

$33 10.5% 85% $190

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Rajshahi

$31 9.7% 76.4% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Rajshahi

$59 18.6% 48.9% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Rajshahi

$14 4.5% 84.8% $79

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Rajshahi

$15 4.8% 80.2% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $74.5 in Rajshahi. 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 450% 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 $8.00 in Rajshahi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $119 – making Rajshahi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇧🇩 Rajshahi

🕒 Local time

06:10 6:10 AM

09:10 9:10 AM

3 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

451,425

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.12 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 49.36 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.24 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 123 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.12 USD). 1 EUR = 138 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.26 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Rajshahi 5,760 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Rajshahi

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 Rajshahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 386%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $478 in Rajshahi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rajshahi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $13.45 in Rajshahi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 117% more in Istanbul, 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 Rajshahi, where all-in costs run around $319, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Rajshahi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rajshahi – 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 Rajshahi. 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.