Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Reghin

For one person, living is cheaper in Reghin: $908 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Reghin
Learn more

Reghin Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Reghin

🇷🇴 Romania

$908

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Reghin

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $908 in Reghin, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Reghin $908

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $1,460 in Reghin, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Reghin $1,460

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $2,012 in Reghin, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Reghin $2,012

Istanbul costs about 67% more than Reghin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Reghin is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$10.61 RON 50.7

11.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$42.47 RON 203

29.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$8.54 RON 40.82

8.43%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$2.08 RON 9.95

106.73%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$1.59 RON 7.61

11.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$1.19 RON 5.68

-52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$1.54 RON 7.35

204.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$2.08 RON 9.96

242.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$1.40 RON 6.71

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$1.12 RON 5.36

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$1.51 RON 7.20

45.70%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$2.91 RON 13.91

-16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

$7.25 RON 34.65

44.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$7.45 RON 35.59

-28.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$10.29 RON 49.17

105.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$1.02 RON 4.89

82.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$1.48 RON 7.08

55.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

$1.46 RON 6.98

-16.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$2.51 RON 11.98

-28.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$0.75 RON 3.58

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$1.07 RON 5.13

-40.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

$1.07 RON 5.13

27.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.82 RON 3.90

-29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$5.82 RON 27.82

-59.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

$7.39 RON 35.30

76.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$1.03 RON 4.92

129.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$1.66 RON 7.96

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

$0.75 RON 3.58

17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

$20.16 RON 96.4

227.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$1.09 RON 5.21

17.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$1.13 RON 5.40

-24.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

$11.06 RON 52.9

0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$1.80 RON 8.62

-17.78%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$28.1K RON 134.3K

73.05%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$25.4K RON 121.6K

64.97%

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$101 RON 481

-7.90%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$9.23 RON 44.11

21.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$8.23 RON 39.33

93.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$37.74 RON 180

97.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

$20.37 RON 97.3

12.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$6.48 RON 30.97

24.23%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

$430 RON 2,054

120.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

$5,493 RON 26.3K

572.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$37.12 RON 177

45.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$29.44 RON 141

40.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

$61.6 RON 294

63.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

$76.1 RON 364

20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

$403 RON 1,925

151.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

$252 RON 1,204

147.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$652 RON 3,118

207.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$482 RON 2,303

133.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

$1,757 RON 8,399

70.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

$1,541 RON 7,364

12.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$543 RON 2,596

109.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

7.47

441.10%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Reghin: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Reghin

$252 27.8% 59.7% $373

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Reghin

$207 22.8% 19.9% $51

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Reghin

$158 17.5% 28.3% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Reghin

$92 10.1% 29% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Reghin

$118 13% 1.4% $1.7

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Reghin

$51 5.6% 44.2% $40

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Reghin

$30 3.3% 60.2% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $403 in Reghin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Istanbul are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $42 in Reghin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $207 – making Reghin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇷🇴 Reghin

🕒 Local time

19:08 7:08 PM

18:08 6:08 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

38,055

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1 RON = 0.209 USD

1 RON = 0.186 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 4.78 RON (1 RON = 0.209 USD). 1 EUR = 5.37 RON (1 RON = 0.186 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Reghin 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Reghin

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 Reghin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 67%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $1,362 in Reghin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Reghin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $403 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $430 in Reghin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,519 in Istanbul and $908 in Reghin. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Reghin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Reghin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.