Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sassari

For one person, living costs are similar in Istanbul and in Sassari: $1,550 and $1,541 a month, rent and utilities included.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Sassari
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,541
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sassari

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,541 in Sassari, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Sassari $1,541

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,409 in Sassari, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Sassari $2,409

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $3,277 in Sassari, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Sassari $3,277

Istanbul costs about 1% more than Sassari, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Istanbul and Sassari sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Sassari by 14%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$22.12 €19.68
-44.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$76.8 €68.3
-28.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$8.87 €7.89
3.95%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$2.10 €1.87
109.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$3.28 €2.92
-48.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$1.52 €1.35
-61.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$5.61 €4.99
-16.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$5.11 €4.54
15.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.49 €1.32
-18.79%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.84 €1.64
-51.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$2.80 €2.49
-21.79%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$3.12 €2.77
-24.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$17.77 €15.80
-41.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$11.84 €10.53
-52.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$15.45 €13.74
35.53%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$1.63 €1.45
16.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$1.36 €1.21
69.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.64 €1.46
-21.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$2.24 €1.99
-19.64%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$1.52 €1.35
-57.24%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$1.71 €1.52
-62.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$1.15 €1.02
8.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.47 €0.42
19.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$6.71 €5.97
-64.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$7.85 €6.99
70.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.59 €1.41
50.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$1.68 €1.50
107.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$1.49 €1.32
-40.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$37.74 €33.57
78.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$3.94 €3.50
-67.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.50 €1.33
-38.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$31.58 €28.09
-65.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$2.06 €1.84
-28.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$36.5K €32.4K
39.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$35.8K €31.9K
24.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$158 €141
-43.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$9.00 €8.01
28.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$29.67 €26.39
-46.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$48.26 €42.93
59.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
$13.35 €11.87
70.34%
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$8.67 €7.71
-6.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$517 €460
94.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$7,901 €7,028
223.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$53.3 €47.42
1.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$41.96 €37.32
-2.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$89.1 €79.2
11.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$75.2 €66.9
28.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$529 €470
86.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$525 €467
23.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$950 €845
108.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$892 €793
32.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$1,894 €1,685
65.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$1,337 €1,190
33.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Sassari
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$1,477 €1,314
-18.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
3.27
1151.38%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sassari: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Sassari
$525 19.2% $125
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Sassari
$295 13.6% $35
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Sassari
$286 28.2% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Sassari
$117 10.6% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Sassari
$197 69.7% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Sassari
$66 29.8% $28
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Sassari
$55 28.3% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $529 in Sassari. 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 23% higher in Sassari, 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 $77.0 in Sassari. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $295 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇮🇹 Sassari
🕒 Local time
07:23 7:23 AM
06:23 6:23 AM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
126,576
💱 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 Sassari 1,710 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Sassari

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 Sassari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sassari cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 1%, 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 $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $2,311 in Sassari. 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 Sassari, 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 $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $517 in Sassari. 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 Sassari?
Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Istanbul – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Sassari?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sassari, where all-in costs run around $1,541, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Sassari it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Sassari more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sassari – 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 Sassari?
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 Sassari. 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.

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