Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Schaan

For one person, living is cheaper in Schaan: $1,267 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Istanbul outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Schaan

🇱🇮 Liechtenstein

$1,267

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Schaan

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,267 in Schaan, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Schaan $1,267

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,164 in Schaan, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Schaan $2,164

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $3,060 in Schaan, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Schaan $3,060

Istanbul costs about 22% more than Schaan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Schaan is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$26.57 CHF 21.88

-53.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$84.4 CHF 69.5

-35.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$14.30 CHF 11.78

-35.52%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$6.71 CHF 5.52

-34.43%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$3.05 CHF 2.52

-44.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$6.06 CHF 4.99

-90.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$4.73 CHF 3.89

-0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.62 CHF 2.99

63.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.90 CHF 1.57

-36.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$4.84 CHF 3.99

-81.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$5.62 CHF 4.63

-58.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$28.25 CHF 23.26

-63.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$23.79 CHF 19.59

-76.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$48.66 CHF 40.08

-56.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$8.46 CHF 6.97

-78.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$2.43 CHF 2.00

-76.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$12.13 CHF 9.99

10.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$2.33 CHF 1.92

-61.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.38 CHF 1.96

-38.24%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$85.0 CHF 70.0

4.22%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$32.98 CHF 27.16

-64.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$41.88 CHF 34.49

-62.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$121 CHF 99.6

-36.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$19.21 CHF 15.82

-57.63%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,772 CHF 1,459

-44.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$3,026 CHF 2,492

-34.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$9,775 CHF 8,051

-67.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$6,054 CHF 4,986

-70.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$8,434 CHF 6,947

-85.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

923.00%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Schaan: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Schaan

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Schaan

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Schaan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Schaan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Schaan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Schaan

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Schaan

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,772 in Schaan. 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 600% higher in Schaan, 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 $84.0 in Schaan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $535 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇱🇮 Schaan

🕒 Local time

08:04 8:04 AM

07:04 7:04 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

6,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Schaan 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Schaan

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 Schaan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,901 in Schaan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 106% cheaper in Istanbul – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $84.0 in Schaan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Schaan, where all-in costs run around $1,267, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Schaan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Schaan – 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 Schaan. 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.