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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,527 per month in Istanbul vs $1,227 in Siauliai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Istanbul vs $1,889 in Siauliai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,170 per month in Istanbul vs $2,551 in Siauliai, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 24% more than Siauliai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Siauliai is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 ₺505

$8.30 €7.23

25.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 ₺2,496

$34.80 €30.34

47.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₺457

$7.25 €6.32

29.66%

Cappuccino

$4.09 ₺199

$3.55 €3.09

15.21%

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

$1.65 ₺80.1

$1.91 €1.66

-13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺27.65

$1.17 €1.02

-51.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 ₺199

$5.62 €4.90

-27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 ₺297

$3.43 €2.99

77.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₺61.9

$1.02 €0.89

24.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₺43.62

$1.40 €1.22

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 ₺115

$2.44 €2.13

-3.28%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺118

$3.40 €2.97

-28.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 ₺507

$10.60 €9.24

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₺254

$8.15 €7.10

-36.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.70 ₺1,007

$12.42 €10.83

66.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ₺95.5

$1.94 €1.69

1.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ₺104

$1.53 €1.33

39.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ₺57.1

$1.80 €1.57

-35.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ₺95.0

$1.71 €1.49

14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ₺30.60

$0.94 €0.82

-32.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 ₺27.36

$0.56 €0.48

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₺53.4

$1.62 €1.41

-32.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺30.10

$0.87 €0.76

-28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 ₺113

$6.45 €5.62

-63.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 ₺660

$8.15 €7.11

66.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺117

$1.90 €1.66

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₺161

$1.77 €1.54

87.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.44

$1.78 €1.55

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 ₺3,243

$33.32 €29.04

100.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ₺66.9

$3.20 €2.79

-56.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺44.82

$1.15 €1.00

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.69 ₺520

$14.31 €12.47

-25.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₺65.7

$1.76 €1.54

-23.30%

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

$52.3K ₺2.5M

$28.1K €24.5K

85.85%

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

$43.4K ₺2.1M

$29.8K €26.0K

45.69%

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

$89.1 ₺4,337

$233 €203

-61.72%

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

$11.64 ₺566

$14.61 €12.73

-20.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.20 ₺788

$15.65 €13.64

3.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.5 ₺3,574

$29.11 €25.37

152.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 ₺1,120

$18.83 €16.41

22.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 ₺410

$10.49 €9.15

-19.73%

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

$972 ₺47.3K

$673 €587

44.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K ₺1.3M

$11.9K €10.4K

130.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 ₺2,587

$69.9 €61.0

-24.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.88 ₺1,843

$35.14 €30.63

7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,004

$90.7 €79.1

13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 ₺4,631

$103 €90.2

-7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 ₺46.8K

$432 €377

122.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ₺31.7K

$308 €268

111.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 ₺95.2K

$743 €648

163.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 ₺55.8K

$624 €544

83.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 ₺145.3K

$2,615 €2,279

14.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,689 ₺82.2K

$1,641 €1,431

2.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 ₺57.4K

$1,595 €1,390

-25.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.26

3.95

944.56%

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

Last update for Istanbul: September 14, 2026

Last update for Siauliai: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $962 in Istanbul versus $432 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 35% 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 $35.00 in Siauliai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $242 – making Siauliai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 24%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,290 per month in Istanbul and $1,840 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 $972 per month in Istanbul and $673 in Siauliai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Siauliai, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Istanbul at $1,527. 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.