Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Rosh HaAyin

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,519 a month against $2,866 in Rosh HaAyin, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul, Turkey
Rosh HaAyin, Israel
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,519
/mo nomad
Rosh HaAyin
🇮🇱 Israel
$2,866
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Rosh HaAyin

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $2,866 in Rosh HaAyin, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,519
  • Rosh HaAyin $2,866

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $4,327 in Rosh HaAyin, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,365
  • Rosh HaAyin $4,327

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $5,788 in Rosh HaAyin, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,212
  • Rosh HaAyin $5,788

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

Both Istanbul and Rosh HaAyin sit above the global median – Istanbul by 12%, Rosh HaAyin by 112%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.81 ₺592
$37.84 ₪121
-68.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9 ₺2,754
$135 ₪431
-59.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 ₺465
$26.60 ₪85.1
-65.19%
Cappuccino
$4.30 ₺216
$5.71 ₪18.26
-24.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 ₺89.0
$3.19 ₪10.20
-44.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺28.32
$3.15 ₪10.06
-82.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺235
$9.58 ₪30.62
-51.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 ₺357
$11.30 ₪36.12
-36.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 ₺62.7
$2.48 ₪7.94
-49.60%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 ₺44.17
$1.94 ₪6.22
-54.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ₺111
$3.13 ₪10.01
-29.71%
Eggs
$2.43 ₺122
$5.33 ₪17.04
-54.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.48 ₺526
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.31 ₺267
$15.71 ₪50.2
-66.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.10 ₺1,058
$19.25 ₪61.6
9.61%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ₺93.1
$5.28 ₪16.88
-64.77%
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 ₺115
$4.45 ₪14.23
-48.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.22 ₺61.0
$3.19 ₪10.20
-61.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺90.2
$3.72 ₪11.90
-51.61%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ₺34.83
$3.14 ₪10.04
-78.03%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺32.16
$2.42 ₪7.74
-73.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ₺68.0
$4.03 ₪12.89
-66.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₺28.94
$1.39 ₪4.44
-58.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 ₺117
$10.68 ₪34.16
-78.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.03 ₺653
$15.74 ₪50.3
-17.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36 ₺118
$3.60 ₪11.51
-34.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 ₺166
$2.76 ₪8.82
20.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ₺44.07
$2.17 ₪6.93
-59.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.1 ₺3,316
$86.6 ₪277
-23.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ₺64.4
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.80
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.09 ₺556
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 ₺74.0
$2.53 ₪8.09
-41.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.6K ₺2.4M
$56.2K ₪179.8K
-13.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.0K ₺2.1M
$59.0K ₪188.6K
-28.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.7 ₺4,650
$629 ₪2,010
-85.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.20 ₺562
$12.35 ₪39.48
-9.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.89 ₺797
$38.89 ₪124
-59.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 ₺3,745
$79.1 ₪253
-5.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.95 ₺1,151
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 ₺404
$15.86 ₪50.7
-49.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$948 ₺47.6K
$1,345 ₪4,301
-29.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.9K ₺1.9M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₺2,702
$111 ₪356
-51.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.49 ₺2,081
$126 ₪404
-67.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ₺5,060
$146 ₪466
-30.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.3 ₺4,580
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 ₺50.8K
$947 ₪3,029
7.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$625 ₺31.3K
$859 ₪2,747
-27.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,005 ₺100.6K
$1,856 ₪5,933
8.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 ₺56.5K
$1,584 ₪5,064
-28.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,988 ₺149.8K
$10.3K ₪33.1K
-71.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,730 ₺86.8K
$5,808 ₪18.6K
-70.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Rosh HaAyin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,136 ₺57.0K
$3,126 ₪9,993
-63.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.42
5.87
588.59%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Rosh HaAyin: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$625
Rosh HaAyin
$859 37.6% $235
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$258
Rosh HaAyin
$401 * 55.2% $143
Eating Out
Istanbul
$221
Rosh HaAyin
$547 148% $326
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Rosh HaAyin
$173 * 33.4% $43
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$120
Rosh HaAyin
$680 468% $560
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$91
Rosh HaAyin
$111 22.1% $20
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Rosh HaAyin
$95 * 26.7% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $947 in Rosh HaAyin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Rosh HaAyin are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $135 in Rosh HaAyin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $401 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇮🇱 Rosh HaAyin
🕒 Local time
22:10 10:10 PM
21:10 9:10 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
72,881
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

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 = 3.2 ILS (1 ILS = 0.313 USD). 1 EUR = 3.59 ILS (1 ILS = 0.278 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Rosh HaAyin 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Rosh HaAyin

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 Rosh HaAyin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Rosh HaAyin?
Yes – Rosh HaAyin is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $4,299 in Rosh HaAyin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Istanbul and Rosh HaAyin?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,014 in Istanbul and $947 in Rosh HaAyin. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $1,345 in Rosh HaAyin. 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 Rosh HaAyin?
Groceries cost about 55% more in Rosh HaAyin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Istanbul or in Rosh HaAyin?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,519 in Istanbul and $2,866 in Rosh HaAyin. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Istanbul or in Rosh HaAyin?
It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,519 in Istanbul to $2,866 in Rosh HaAyin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Rosh HaAyin?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rosh HaAyin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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