Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Rennes

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,525 a month against $1,722 in Rennes, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,525
/mo nomad
Rennes
🇫🇷 France
$1,722
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Rennes

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $1,722 in Rennes, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,525
  • Rennes $1,722

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $2,694 in Rennes, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,390
  • Rennes $2,694

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $3,666 in Rennes, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,256
  • Rennes $3,666

Istanbul is about 11% cheaper than Rennes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Rennes sit above the global median – Istanbul by 13%, Rennes by 27%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 ₺592
$14.73 €13.10
-18.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 ₺2,834
$68.2 €60.7
-16.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.51 ₺471
$13.30 €11.83
-28.50%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$3.53 €3.14
24.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₺86.6
$2.60 €2.31
-32.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.57
$2.08 €1.85
-73.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.71 ₺233
$7.93 €7.06
-40.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.14 ₺304
$5.71 €5.08
7.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ₺61.6
$1.20 €1.07
3.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 ₺47.25
$1.98 €1.76
-52.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 ₺113
$3.33 €2.96
-31.53%
Eggs
$2.45 ₺121
$3.68 €3.28
-33.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.56 ₺523
$17.15 €15.25
-38.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.50 ₺272
$13.44 €11.95
-59.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.65 ₺1,072
$23.62 €21.01
-8.34%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 ₺90.6
$3.27 €2.91
-44.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 ₺113
$2.00 €1.78
14.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.4
$2.50 €2.22
-48.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.82 ₺90.1
$3.30 €2.94
-44.85%
Potato (1kg)
$0.66 ₺32.74
$2.38 €2.12
-72.27%
Onion (1kg)
$0.63 ₺31.14
$1.44 €1.28
-56.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ₺62.8
$1.55 €1.38
-18.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.62
$0.90 €0.80
-37.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 ₺117
$13.25 €11.78
-82.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.98 ₺642
$6.89 €6.13
88.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.48 ₺123
$3.41 €3.03
-27.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ₺174
$3.48 €3.10
0.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.82 ₺40.77
$1.87 €1.66
-56.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.2 ₺3,228
$57.2 €50.8
14.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.33 ₺65.7
$8.78 €7.81
-84.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 ₺44.60
$1.21 €1.08
-25.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.91 ₺540
$32.98 €29.34
-66.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ₺70.7
$2.15 €1.91
-33.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.6K ₺2.5M
$34.7K €30.9K
42.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.2K ₺2.1M
$37.6K €33.4K
14.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₺4,395
$156 €139
-43.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.69 ₺579
$13.30 €11.83
-12.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.09 ₺797
$30.84 €27.43
-47.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.3 ₺3,776
$40.83 €36.31
86.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.72 ₺1,125
$12.48 €11.11
82.05%
Cinema Ticket
$8.26 ₺409
$13.65 €12.14
-39.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,015 ₺50.2K
$904 €805
12.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K ₺1.3M
$9,919 €8,823
160.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ₺2,636
$85.3 €75.9
-37.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.55 ₺2,008
$56.5 €50.3
-28.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 ₺4,956
$112 €100.0
-10.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.5 ₺4,630
$104 €92.3
-9.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 ₺48.4K
$789 €702
23.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$627 ₺31.0K
$574 €511
9.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,980 ₺98.0K
$1,361 €1,210
45.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,147 ₺56.8K
$1,048 €932
9.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,095 ₺153.2K
$6,353 €5,651
-51.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,787 ₺88.5K
$3,149 €2,801
-43.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Rennes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,213 ₺60.1K
$2,873 €2,555
-57.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.69
3.91
940.66%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rennes: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$627
Rennes
$574 8.4% $53
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$263
Rennes
$369 40.6% $106
Eating Out
Istanbul
$222
Rennes
$270 21.5% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Rennes
$161 24.6% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$117
Rennes
$200 71.9% $84
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Rennes
$68 26.6% $25
Getting Around
Istanbul
$74
Rennes
$79 6.9% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $789 in Rennes. 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 137% higher in Rennes, 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 $57.0 in Istanbul versus $68.0 in Rennes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $369 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇫🇷 Rennes
🕒 Local time
22:10 10:10 PM
21:10 9:10 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
225,081
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Rennes 2,530 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Rennes

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 Rennes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rennes cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Rennes is pricier by about 13%, 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 $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $2,584 in Rennes. 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 Istanbul, 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 $1,015 per month in Istanbul and $904 in Rennes. 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 Rennes?
Groceries cost about 41% more in Rennes, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Rennes?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,525, than in Rennes at $1,722. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rennes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Rennes more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Rennes?
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 Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rennes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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