Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Rishon Leziyyon

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,519 a month against $2,842 in Rishon Leziyyon, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 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
137

Cost of Living Index in Rishon Leziyyon
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Rishon Leziyyon Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Rishon Leziyyon

🇮🇱 Israel

$2,842

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Rishon Leziyyon

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $2,842 in Rishon Leziyyon, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Rishon Leziyyon $2,842

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $4,157 in Rishon Leziyyon, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Rishon Leziyyon $4,157

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $5,472 in Rishon Leziyyon, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Rishon Leziyyon $5,472

Istanbul is about 47% cheaper than Rishon Leziyyon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Istanbul and Rishon Leziyyon sit above the global median – Istanbul by 12%, Rishon Leziyyon by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$28.82 ₪92.4

-59.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$95.8 ₪307

-42.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$16.22 ₪52.0

-42.91%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$4.88 ₪15.63

-11.89%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$3.56 ₪11.42

-50.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$3.15 ₪10.09

-82.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$10.15 ₪32.52

-53.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$9.53 ₪30.54

-25.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$2.40 ₪7.69

-47.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$1.72 ₪5.52

-48.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$2.57 ₪8.23

-14.40%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$5.47 ₪17.54

-55.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

$17.83 ₪57.2

-41.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$13.99 ₪44.85

-62.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$16.21 ₪52.0

30.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$3.55 ₪11.38

-47.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$2.85 ₪9.13

-19.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

$1.72 ₪5.53

-29.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$2.50 ₪8.01

-28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$1.73 ₪5.53

-60.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$1.61 ₪5.15

-60.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

$1.92 ₪6.16

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.98 ₪3.15

-40.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$13.66 ₪43.80

-82.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

$12.28 ₪39.37

6.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$2.60 ₪8.32

-9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$2.37 ₪7.59

40.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

$2.50 ₪8.01

-64.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

$99.5 ₪319

-33.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$3.92 ₪12.57

-67.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$1.42 ₪4.55

-40.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

$36.92 ₪118

-69.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$2.50 ₪8.02

-40.80%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$54.7K ₪175.4K

-11.13%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$53.1K ₪170.3K

-21.01%

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$290 ₪928

-67.98%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$11.26 ₪36.10

-0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$43.88 ₪141

-63.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$51.3 ₪164

45.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

$19.38 ₪62.1

18.42%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$15.81 ₪50.7

-49.08%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

$1,126 ₪3,609

-15.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

$24.1K ₪77.1K

53.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$46.87 ₪150

14.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$39.59 ₪127

4.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

$136 ₪435

-25.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

$147 ₪470

-37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

$1,650 ₪5,289

-38.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

$1,324 ₪4,243

-52.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$2,593 ₪8,312

-22.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$2,097 ₪6,721

-46.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

$9,877 ₪31.7K

-69.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

$7,179 ₪23.0K

-75.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$3,966 ₪12.7K

-71.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

5.32

659.77%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Rishon Leziyyon: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Rishon Leziyyon

$1.3K 46.6% 112% $699

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Rishon Leziyyon

$370 13% 43.2% $112

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Rishon Leziyyon

$434 15.3% 96.6% $213

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Rishon Leziyyon

$166 5.8% 28.3% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Rishon Leziyyon

$345 12.1% 188% $225

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Rishon Leziyyon

$83 2.9% 8.7% $7.9

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Rishon Leziyyon

$120 4.2% 60.3% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $1,650 in Rishon Leziyyon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Rishon Leziyyon are about 3.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $96 in Rishon Leziyyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $370 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇮🇱 Rishon Leziyyon

🕒 Local time

21:20 9:20 PM

20:20 8:20 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

247,323

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1 ILS = 0.312 USD

1 ILS = 0.278 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, 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).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.21 ILS (1 ILS = 0.312 USD). 1 EUR = 3.6 ILS (1 ILS = 0.278 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Rishon Leziyyon 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Rishon Leziyyon

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 Rishon Leziyyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rishon Leziyyon is pricier by about 87%, 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 $4,263 in Rishon Leziyyon. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,014 there versus $1,650 in Rishon Leziyyon.

Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $1,126 in Rishon Leziyyon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Rishon Leziyyon, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,519 in Istanbul and $2,842 in Rishon Leziyyon. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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 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 Istanbul. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rishon Leziyyon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.