Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Santiago de Compostela

Name: Santiago de Compostela
Address: Santiago de Compostela, ES

For one person, living is cheaper in Santiago de Compostela: $1,439 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Santiago de Compostela
Learn more

Santiago de Compostela Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Santiago de Compostela

🇪🇸 Spain

$1,439

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Santiago de Compostela

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 Santiago de Compostela actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,439 in Santiago de Compostela, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Santiago de Compostela $1,439

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,215 in Santiago de Compostela, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Santiago de Compostela $2,215

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,991 in Santiago de Compostela, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Santiago de Compostela $2,991

Istanbul costs about 8% more than Santiago de Compostela, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Istanbul and Santiago de Compostela sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Santiago de Compostela by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$13.22 €11.76

-6.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$66.5 €59.2

-17.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$9.21 €8.19

0.11%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$1.95 €1.74

125.64%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.69 €2.39

-37.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$2.17 €1.93

-72.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$3.10 €2.76

51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.87 €3.44

52.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.20 €1.07

0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.17 €1.04

-23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.32 €1.17

65.91%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$2.77 €2.47

-15.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$8.85 €7.88

17.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.67 €5.93

-15.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$17.00 €15.12

23.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.04 €1.81

-6.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.09 €1.86

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.48 €1.32

-13.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$2.86 €2.54

-37.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.96 €1.74

-66.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.47 €1.30

-56.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.13 €1.01

10.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.84 €0.75

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$5.97 €5.31

-60.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$5.12 €4.55

162.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.45 €1.29

65.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.37 €2.11

46.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$1.19 €1.06

-25.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$32.89 €29.26

105.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$4.87 €4.33

-73.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.31 €1.17

-29.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$18.83 €16.75

-41.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.69 €1.50

-13.02%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$35.4K €31.5K

43.48%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$28.8K €25.7K

54.40%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$155 €138

-42.89%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$21.74 €19.34

-46.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$32.64 €29.04

-51.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$51.2 €45.56

50.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$2.19 €1.95

938.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$10.11 €8.99

-19.49%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$331 €294

204.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$8,249 €7,337

209.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$87.7 €78.1

-38.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$62.9 €55.9

-35.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$100.0 €88.9

-1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$92.3 €82.1

4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$712 €633

38.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$516 €459

25.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,047 €931

89.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$869 €773

35.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$3,001 €2,670

4.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,094 €1,863

-15.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$1,870 €1,663

-35.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

2.96

1282.43%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Santiago de Compostela: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Santiago de Compostela

$516 35.9% 20.6% $134

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Santiago de Compostela

$240 16.6% 7.8% $20

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Santiago de Compostela

$199 13.9% 10.7% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Santiago de Compostela

$154 10.7% 18.1% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Santiago de Compostela

$210 14.6% 80.6% $94

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Santiago de Compostela

$71 5% 23.6% $22

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Santiago de Compostela

$49 3.4% 36.1% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $712 in Santiago de Compostela. 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 55% higher in Santiago de Compostela, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $66.0 in Santiago de Compostela. Groceries tell a different story – $260 in Istanbul vs $240 in Santiago de Compostela – so Santiago de Compostela wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇪🇸 Santiago de Compostela

🕒 Local time

01:20 1:20 AM

00:20 12:20 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

98,687

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Santiago de Compostela 3,080 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Santiago de Compostela

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 Santiago de Compostela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 8%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $2,159 in Santiago de Compostela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $331 in Santiago de Compostela. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 Santiago de Compostela, where all-in costs run around $1,439, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Santiago de Compostela it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santiago de Compostela – 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 Santiago de Compostela. 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.