Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Side Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Side

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Istanbul vs $1,123 in Side, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,338 per month in Istanbul vs $1,826 in Side, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in Istanbul vs $2,529 in Side, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 33% more than Side, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Side is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ₺492

$9.47 ₺460

7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₺2,461

$67.2 ₺3,263

-24.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 ₺441

$10.08 ₺490

-9.82%

Cappuccino

$4.05 ₺197

$3.38 ₺164

19.82%

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

$1.74 ₺84.3

$2.13 ₺103

-18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺27.70

$0.38 ₺18.56

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 ₺197

$3.74 ₺181

8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₺293

$5.95 ₺289

1.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.4

$1.05 ₺51.0

16.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.81

$0.95 ₺46.19

-1.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₺118

$2.30 ₺112

6.09%

Eggs

$2.46 ₺119

$2.03 ₺98.7

21.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₺500

$12.56 ₺610

-17.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₺260

$5.71 ₺277

-6.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.09 ₺1,024

$26.07 ₺1,266

-19.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺95.9

$1.42 ₺68.9

38.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ₺109

$2.31 ₺112

-3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₺58.5

$1.36 ₺66.1

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ₺93.3

$1.38 ₺66.9

39.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₺28.65

$0.77 ₺37.56

-23.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₺25.04

$0.66 ₺32.07

-21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺53.0

$1.83 ₺88.8

-40.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.62

$0.68 ₺33.20

-13.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 ₺113

$2.61 ₺127

-10.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 ₺643

$13.28 ₺645

-0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺116

$1.71 ₺83.1

40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₺165

$3.08 ₺150

10.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₺41.57

$0.72 ₺35.19

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 ₺3,298

$32.89 ₺1,597

106.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₺63.5

$1.38 ₺66.8

-5.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺44.88

$1.01 ₺48.94

-8.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.72 ₺520

$5.75 ₺279

86.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₺66.8

$1.42 ₺69.0

-2.82%

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

$50.7K ₺2.5M

$42.5K ₺2.1M

19.31%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$39.8K ₺1.9M

11.64%

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

$88.6 ₺4,302

$66.3 ₺3,218

33.71%

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

$11.48 ₺557

$10.03 ₺487

14.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.51 ₺802

$21.50 ₺1,044

-23.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 ₺3,361

$50.0 ₺2,428

38.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 ₺1,138

Cinema Ticket

$8.37 ₺407

$8.75 ₺425

-4.34%

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

$978 ₺47.5K

$611 ₺29.7K

60.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K ₺1.4M

$10.6K ₺515.1K

164.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ₺2,624

$45.65 ₺2,217

18.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.94 ₺1,890

$61.8 ₺2,998

-36.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,881

$87.7 ₺4,259

14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ₺4,583

$79.6 ₺3,866

18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₺48.1K

$435 ₺21.1K

127.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 ₺31.0K

$309 ₺15.0K

106.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 ₺94.5K

$766 ₺37.2K

153.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₺55.5K

$588 ₺28.6K

94.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 ₺144.6K

$1,489 ₺72.3K

100.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,694 ₺82.3K

$1,115 ₺54.1K

52.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 ₺58.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.26

39.17

5.34%

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

Last update for Istanbul: September 5, 2026

Last update for Side: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $991 in Istanbul versus $435 in Side. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Istanbul versus $67.0 in Side. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $276 – making Istanbul 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 Side: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,242 per month in Istanbul and $1,685 in Side. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $978 per month in Istanbul and $611 in Side. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Istanbul – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Side, where all-in costs run around $1,123, than in Istanbul at $1,494. In Side it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Side – 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 Side. 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.