Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Shumen

For one person, living is cheaper in Shumen: $907 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Shumen
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Shumen Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Shumen

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$907

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Shumen

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $907 in Shumen, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Shumen $907

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $1,415 in Shumen, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Shumen $1,415

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $1,922 in Shumen, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Shumen $1,922

Istanbul costs about 67% more than Shumen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Shumen is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$9.40 BGN 16.36

25.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$33.87 BGN 58.9

62.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$8.80 BGN 15.32

5.23%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$1.76 BGN 3.07

144.32%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$1.44 BGN 2.51

22.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$1.05 BGN 1.83

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$2.81 BGN 4.89

66.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$2.79 BGN 4.85

155.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$1.85 BGN 3.21

-32.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$1.07 BGN 1.86

-17.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$2.55 BGN 4.44

-13.73%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$2.75 BGN 4.79

-11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

$9.05 BGN 15.74

15.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$4.95 BGN 8.61

7.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$9.04 BGN 15.74

133.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$1.58 BGN 2.74

17.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$2.01 BGN 3.49

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

$2.17 BGN 3.77

-43.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$2.22 BGN 3.86

-18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$2.09 BGN 3.64

-66.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$1.25 BGN 2.18

-48.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

$0.86 BGN 1.49

58.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.76 BGN 1.32

-23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$3.63 BGN 6.32

-35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

$7.26 BGN 12.63

79.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$0.99 BGN 1.73

138.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$1.47 BGN 2.57

125.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

$0.94 BGN 1.63

-6.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

$25.72 BGN 44.75

157.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$1.75 BGN 3.04

-26.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$0.54 BGN 0.94

57.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$1.58 BGN 2.74

-6.33%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$30.2K BGN 52.5K

61.16%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$22.0K BGN 38.3K

90.59%

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$130 BGN 227

-28.88%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$17.30 BGN 30.10

-35.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$17.04 BGN 29.66

-6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$38.35 BGN 66.7

94.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

$11.49 BGN 19.99

99.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$6.69 BGN 11.64

20.33%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

$567 BGN 986

67.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

$10.1K BGN 17.6K

265.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$47.88 BGN 83.3

12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$51.5 BGN 89.5

-19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

$93.8 BGN 163

7.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

$60.9 BGN 106

49.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

$269 BGN 468

276.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

$177 BGN 308

252.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$437 BGN 761

358.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$332 BGN 577

239.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

$1,261 BGN 2,195

136.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

$1,001 BGN 1,741

72.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$1,022 BGN 1,779

11.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

3.25

1143.69%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Shumen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Shumen

$177 19.5% 71.6% $447

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Shumen

$213 23.5% 17.6% $45

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Shumen

$152 16.8% 31% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Shumen

$114 12.6% 11.7% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Shumen

$165 18.2% 37.5% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Shumen

$52 5.7% 43% $39

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Shumen

$34 3.7% 54.9% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $269 in Shumen. 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 11% 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 $34 in Shumen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $213 – making Shumen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇧🇬 Shumen

🕒 Local time

07:05 7:05 AM

06:05 6:05 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

85,504

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, 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 = 56.3 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Istanbul Shumen 300 km

From you

Istanbul
Shumen

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 Shumen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 67%, 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 $1,361 in Shumen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shumen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $269 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $567 in Shumen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Shumen, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Shumen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shumen – 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 Shumen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.