Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sanliurfa Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sanliurfa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,452 per month in Istanbul vs $1,011 in Sanliurfa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,224 per month in Istanbul vs $1,580 in Sanliurfa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,996 per month in Istanbul vs $2,148 in Sanliurfa, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 44% more than Sanliurfa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Sanliurfa is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 ₺521

$7.47 ₺344

51.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ₺2,385

$30.25 ₺1,395

71.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 ₺344

$7.28 ₺335

2.47%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₺160

$3.68 ₺170

-5.98%

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

$1.35 ₺62.1

$1.21 ₺55.7

11.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.48

$0.40 ₺18.22

17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 ₺177

$3.47 ₺160

10.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 ₺241

$3.47 ₺160

50.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 ₺49.14

$1.04 ₺48.07

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺38.04

$0.45 ₺20.55

84.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₺102

$2.03 ₺93.8

8.87%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺119

$2.64 ₺122

-1.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 ₺476

$11.44 ₺527

-9.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₺301

$5.01 ₺231

30.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.83 ₺914

$20.77 ₺958

-4.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.3

$1.21 ₺55.9

23.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ₺101

$2.03 ₺93.7

7.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.6

$1.04 ₺47.94

24.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ₺73.0

$1.15 ₺52.9

37.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ₺34.94

$0.85 ₺38.97

-10.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.74

$0.76 ₺35.05

-3.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺52.1

$0.67 ₺30.84

68.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺26.79

$0.38 ₺17.70

52.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 ₺102

$2.13 ₺98.3

3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ₺564

$8.45 ₺390

44.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₺97.9

$2.54 ₺117

-16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₺141

$3.48 ₺161

-12.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.33

$0.63 ₺28.87

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ₺2,460

$30.42 ₺1,403

75.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺50.3

$1.09 ₺50.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺29.38

$0.61 ₺27.93

4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 ₺415

$7.68 ₺354

17.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺53.1

$1.08 ₺49.85

6.48%

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

$46.6K ₺2.1M

$44.0K ₺2.0M

5.89%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$42.9K ₺2.0M

2.03%

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

$71.7 ₺3,304

$63.0 ₺2,903

13.82%

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

$12.49 ₺576

$9.11 ₺420

37.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 ₺694

$8.90 ₺410

68.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ₺2,776

$42.88 ₺1,977

40.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 ₺849

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 ₺353

$2.53 ₺117

202.77%

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

$935 ₺43.1K

$601 ₺27.7K

55.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₺821.8K

$8,776 ₺404.6K

103.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,577

$19.29 ₺889

189.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.37 ₺2,138

$24.94 ₺1,150

85.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,285

$74.9 ₺3,451

53.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,867

$51.0 ₺2,353

106.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 ₺44.3K

$515 ₺23.7K

86.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₺28.5K

$391 ₺18.0K

57.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 ₺80.2K

$883 ₺40.7K

96.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ₺47.4K

$700 ₺32.3K

46.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,097 ₺142.8K

$1,378 ₺63.5K

124.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺76.7K

$997 ₺45.9K

67.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,170 ₺53.9K

$873 ₺40.2K

34.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

222.87%

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

Last update for Istanbul: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sanliurfa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Istanbul versus $515 in Sanliurfa. 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 34% 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $30.00 in Sanliurfa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $231 – making Sanliurfa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sanliurfa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,178 per month in Istanbul and $1,517 in Sanliurfa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $935 per month in Istanbul and $601 in Sanliurfa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanliurfa, where all-in costs run around $1,011, than in Istanbul at $1,452. In Sanliurfa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanliurfa – 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 Sanliurfa. 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.