Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Shahrisabz

For one person, living is cheaper in Shahrisabz: $236 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Shahrisabz

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

$236

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Shahrisabz

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $236 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Shahrisabz $236

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $415 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Shahrisabz $415

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $594 in Shahrisabz, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Shahrisabz $594

Istanbul costs about 543% more than Shahrisabz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Shahrisabz is 83% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$3.04 UZS 36.4K

288.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$2.04 UZS 24.4K

353.92%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$0.57 UZS 6,867

654.39%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$0.48 UZS 5,719

268.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$0.21 UZS 2,527

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

364.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$1.95 UZS 23.3K

265.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$0.26 UZS 3,138

238.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$2.03 UZS 24.3K

8.37%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$0.92 UZS 11.1K

164.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$2.05 UZS 24.6K

159.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$7.06 UZS 84.5K

198.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$0.67 UZS 7,966

177.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$0.97 UZS 11.6K

137.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.59 UZS 7,056

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$0.98 UZS 11.7K

138.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

133.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$2.02 UZS 24.2K

64.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

$0.42 UZS 5,024

109.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$0.42 UZS 4,973

204.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$0.23 UZS 2,726

269.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$0.93 UZS 11.2K

59.14%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$46.61 UZS 558.2K

98.91%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$2.94 UZS 35.2K

280.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$8.84 UZS 105.8K

79.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$29.78 UZS 356.7K

150.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$7.11 UZS 85.1K

13.22%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$11.90 UZS 142.6K

352.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$11.19 UZS 133.9K

270.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$200 UZS 2.4M

905.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$152 UZS 1.8M

641.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$424 UZS 5.1M

167.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Shahrisabz: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Shahrisabz

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Shahrisabz

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Shahrisabz

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Shahrisabz

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Shahrisabz

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Shahrisabz

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Shahrisabz

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Istanbul are about 2.7 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇺🇿 Shahrisabz

🕒 Local time

00:41 12:41 AM

02:41 2:41 AM

2 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

100,300

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Uzbekistani Som UZS soʻm

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

100,000 UZS = 8.35 USD

100,000 UZS = 7.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UZS, 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).

Uzbekistani Som exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 11,975 UZS (100,000 UZS = 8.35 USD). 1 EUR = 13,383 UZS (100,000 UZS = 7.47 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Shahrisabz 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Shahrisabz

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 Shahrisabz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 543%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $354 in Shahrisabz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,519 in Istanbul and $236 in Shahrisabz. That makes Shahrisabz about 84% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 263% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Shahrisabz, where all-in costs run around $236, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Shahrisabz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $236 in Shahrisabz to $1,519 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Shahrisabz. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.