Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Siauliai Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Siauliai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,431 per month in Istanbul vs $1,329 in Siauliai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,191 per month in Istanbul vs $2,003 in Siauliai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,952 per month in Istanbul vs $2,678 in Siauliai, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 8% more than Siauliai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Istanbul sits 7% above the global median, while Siauliai is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 ₺520

$12.28 €10.51

-6.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,304

$40.60 €34.75

25.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 ₺343

$6.89 €5.89

10.30%

Cappuccino

$3.63 ₺164

$3.12 €2.67

16.35%

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

$1.35 ₺61.1

$2.12 €1.82

-36.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.13

$1.17 €1.00

-59.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 ₺177

$4.55 €3.90

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 ₺235

$3.81 €3.26

36.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.69

$1.54 €1.32

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.38

$1.58 €1.35

-47.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₺102

$2.57 €2.20

-12.06%

Eggs

$2.71 ₺122

$2.75 €2.35

-1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ₺472

$12.77 €10.93

-18.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₺297

$7.05 €6.03

-6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 ₺906

$12.26 €10.49

63.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ₺65.2

$1.60 €1.37

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$1.65 €1.41

38.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺58.4

$2.16 €1.85

-40.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺73.5

$3.42 €2.92

-52.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.24

$0.94 €0.80

-24.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.08

$1.07 €0.92

-31.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ₺52.6

$1.92 €1.64

-39.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺26.48

$0.94 €0.80

-37.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺96.9

$5.69 €4.87

-62.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 ₺541

$8.25 €7.06

45.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₺97.0

$1.74 €1.49

23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₺136

$2.21 €1.89

36.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺32.32

$1.73 €1.48

-58.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.1 ₺2,396

$34.04 €29.14

55.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₺49.28

$3.26 €2.79

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺28.73

$1.12 €0.96

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 ₺395

$16.19 €13.85

-46.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.67 €1.43

-27.54%

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

$44.8K ₺2.0M

$34.3K €29.3K

30.77%

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

$43.2K ₺1.9M

$32.8K €28.1K

31.50%

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

$71.4 ₺3,221

$244 €209

-70.72%

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

$12.44 ₺562

$14.03 €12.01

-11.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.58 ₺658

$17.19 €14.72

-15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 ₺2,818

$41.85 €35.83

49.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.58 ₺839

$18.33 €15.69

1.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₺342

$9.17 €7.85

-17.45%

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

$950 ₺42.9K

$633 €542

50.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ₺814.5K

$9,242 €7,911

95.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ₺2,572

$87.0 €74.5

-34.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.42 ₺2,096

$41.68 €35.68

11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₺5,108

$108 €92.7

4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₺4,869

$129 €111

-16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ₺44.3K

$426 €365

130.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 ₺28.5K

$318 €272

98.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 ₺79.8K

$738 €632

139.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 ₺47.7K

$633 €542

66.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,300 ₺149.0K

$2,607 €2,232

26.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,659 ₺74.9K

$1,676 €1,435

-1.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,198 ₺54.1K

$1,324 €1,133

-9.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

3.47

1295.68%

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

Last update for Istanbul: April 27, 2026

Last update for Siauliai: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Istanbul versus $426 in Siauliai. 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 Siauliai, 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 $51.0 in Istanbul versus $41.00 in Siauliai. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Istanbul vs $260 in Siauliai – so Istanbul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Siauliai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,146 per month in Istanbul and $1,993 in Siauliai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $950 per month in Istanbul and $633 in Siauliai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Istanbul – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Siauliai, where all-in costs run around $1,329, than in Istanbul at $1,431. In Siauliai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Siauliai – 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 Siauliai. 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.