Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sfantu Gheorghe

For one person, living is cheaper in Sfantu Gheorghe: $806 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Sfantu Gheorghe
Learn more

Sfantu Gheorghe Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Sfantu Gheorghe

🇷🇴 Romania

$806

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sfantu Gheorghe

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $806 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Sfantu Gheorghe $806

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $1,290 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Sfantu Gheorghe $1,290

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $1,773 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Sfantu Gheorghe $1,773

Istanbul costs about 88% more than Sfantu Gheorghe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Sfantu Gheorghe is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$8.25 RON 39.46

43.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$42.14 RON 201

30.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$7.37 RON 35.25

25.64%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$2.48 RON 11.85

73.39%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$1.23 RON 5.90

43.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$1.04 RON 4.96

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$2.53 RON 12.10

85.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$2.09 RON 9.98

240.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$1.42 RON 6.77

-11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$1.17 RON 5.61

-24.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$1.39 RON 6.63

58.27%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$3.29 RON 15.72

-26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

$8.08 RON 38.63

29.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$4.49 RON 21.44

18.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$8.08 RON 38.60

161.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$1.03 RON 4.94

80.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$1.48 RON 7.07

55.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

$1.21 RON 5.81

0.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$2.54 RON 12.15

-29.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$0.71 RON 3.39

-2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$0.65 RON 3.10

-1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

$0.99 RON 4.71

37.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.74 RON 3.54

-21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$4.75 RON 22.70

-50.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

$7.24 RON 34.62

79.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$0.96 RON 4.59

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$1.08 RON 5.15

207.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

$0.88 RON 4.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

$15.50 RON 74.1

326.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$0.91 RON 4.33

40.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$0.88 RON 4.18

-3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

$9.16 RON 43.79

21.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$1.55 RON 7.42

-4.52%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$28.5K RON 136.2K

70.68%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$25.8K RON 123.3K

62.79%

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$114 RON 546

-18.90%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$9.20 RON 43.95

21.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$12.38 RON 59.2

28.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$40.46 RON 193

84.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

$20.66 RON 98.8

11.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$3.21 RON 15.35

150.78%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

$447 RON 2,139

111.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

$10.2K RON 48.7K

262.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$26.06 RON 125

106.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$13.55 RON 64.8

206.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

$39.24 RON 188

157.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

$61.7 RON 295

48.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

$287 RON 1,373

252.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

$207 RON 989

201.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$533 RON 2,549

276.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$395 RON 1,889

184.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

$1,875 RON 8,962

59.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

$1,321 RON 6,312

31.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$689 RON 3,291

65.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

6.75

498.81%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Sfantu Gheorghe

$207 25.7% 66.9% $418

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Sfantu Gheorghe

$185 22.9% 28.5% $73

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Sfantu Gheorghe

$144 17.9% 34.9% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Sfantu Gheorghe

$63 7.9% 51.1% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Sfantu Gheorghe

$136 16.9% 13.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Sfantu Gheorghe

$47 5.8% 48.4% $44

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Sfantu Gheorghe

$24 3% 67.7% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $287 in Sfantu Gheorghe. 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 65% 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 $55 in Istanbul versus $42 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $185 – making Sfantu Gheorghe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇷🇴 Sfantu Gheorghe

🕒 Local time

01:29 1:29 AM

00:29 12:29 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

56,006

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1 RON = 0.209 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.05 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 4.78 RON (1 RON = 0.209 USD). 1 EUR = 5.34 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Sfantu Gheorghe 600 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sfantu Gheorghe

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 Sfantu Gheorghe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 88%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $1,209 in Sfantu Gheorghe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sfantu Gheorghe, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $287 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $447 in Sfantu Gheorghe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Sfantu Gheorghe, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Sfantu Gheorghe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sfantu Gheorghe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Sfantu Gheorghe. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.