Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sighetu Marmatiei

For one person, living is cheaper in Sighetu Marmatiei: $958 a month against $1,516 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Sighetu Marmatiei
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Sighetu Marmatiei Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,516

/mo nomad

Sighetu Marmatiei

🇷🇴 Romania

$958

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sighetu Marmatiei

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

A single person spends $1,516 per month in Istanbul vs $958 in Sighetu Marmatiei, rent included.

Istanbul $1,516
Sighetu Marmatiei $958

A couple spends around $2,356 per month in Istanbul vs $1,401 in Sighetu Marmatiei, rent included.

Istanbul $2,356
Sighetu Marmatiei $1,401

A family of three spends $3,197 per month in Istanbul vs $1,843 in Sighetu Marmatiei, rent included.

Istanbul $3,197
Sighetu Marmatiei $1,843

Istanbul costs about 58% more than Sighetu Marmatiei, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 11% above the global median, while Sighetu Marmatiei is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 ₺577

$8.62 RON 41.42

34.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,725

$20.80 RON 100.0

162.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ₺468

$7.31 RON 35.14

28.45%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₺211

$2.68 RON 12.89

57.84%

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

$1.72 ₺85.6

$1.84 RON 8.86

-6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺28.26

$1.77 RON 8.51

-67.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 ₺232

$2.06 RON 9.89

125.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 ₺341

$3.15 RON 15.12

117.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₺60.0

$1.44 RON 6.92

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺46.97

$1.01 RON 4.87

-6.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ₺112

$1.20 RON 5.77

86.67%

Eggs

$2.42 ₺121

$2.83 RON 13.61

-14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ₺510

$8.02 RON 38.54

27.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺268

$6.34 RON 30.45

-15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.19 ₺1,056

$9.18 RON 44.10

130.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₺94.3

$1.12 RON 5.38

68.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 ₺111

$1.49 RON 7.16

48.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₺62.7

$1.49 RON 7.17

-15.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₺90.0

$1.36 RON 6.56

33.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₺34.84

$0.86 RON 4.16

-18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.13

$0.95 RON 4.57

-32.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₺60.9

$0.69 RON 3.32

76.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₺27.35

$0.84 RON 4.01

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺116

$5.46 RON 26.23

-57.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ₺663

$5.77 RON 27.73

130.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₺116

$1.03 RON 4.95

126.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₺172

$1.76 RON 8.44

96.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₺45.18

$0.76 RON 3.64

19.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.3 ₺3,306

$21.76 RON 105

204.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.2

$0.72 RON 3.45

79.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₺42.66

$0.77 RON 3.69

11.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺553

$7.41 RON 35.63

49.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ₺70.8

$1.73 RON 8.31

-17.92%

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

$49.2K ₺2.5M

$29.0K RON 139.3K

69.72%

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

$42.8K ₺2.1M

$25.5K RON 122.5K

67.95%

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

$87.7 ₺4,373

$138 RON 663

-36.36%

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

$11.28 ₺562

$6.50 RON 31.22

73.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺792

$7.73 RON 37.13

105.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 ₺3,783

$38.48 RON 185

97.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.04 ₺1,148

$20.29 RON 97.5

13.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₺409

$4.31 RON 20.73

90.26%

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

$1,028 ₺51.2K

$396 RON 1,904

159.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K ₺1.3M

$8,844 RON 42.5K

193.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,658

$59.9 RON 288

-10.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.69 ₺1,978

$37.56 RON 180

5.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 ₺4,972

$54.8 RON 263

82.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,661

$63.4 RON 305

47.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 ₺50.0K

$378 RON 1,818

165.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 ₺31.3K

$290 RON 1,392

116.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 ₺97.8K

$602 RON 2,893

226.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 ₺55.9K

$441 RON 2,120

154.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 ₺153.2K

$1,865 RON 8,961

64.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,753 ₺87.3K

$1,333 RON 6,404

31.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 ₺58.8K

$522 RON 2,510

125.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

7.1

473.10%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 27, 2026

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$628 41.5%

Sighetu Marmatiei

$290 30.2% 53.9% $339

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Sighetu Marmatiei

$189 19.7% 26.9% $69

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.4%

Sighetu Marmatiei

$154 16.1% 29.2% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Sighetu Marmatiei

$97 10.1% 24.7% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$115 7.6%

Sighetu Marmatiei

$152 15.9% 32.4% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$92 6.1%

Sighetu Marmatiei

$47 4.9% 49% $45

Getting Around

Istanbul

$76 5%

Sighetu Marmatiei

$29 3.1% 61.1% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Istanbul versus $378 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Istanbul are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $21 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $189 – making Sighetu Marmatiei the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇷🇴 Sighetu Marmatiei

🕒 Local time

03:12 3:12 AM

02:12 2:12 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

37,640

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.01 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 RON = 0.208 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 4.81 RON (1 RON = 0.208 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Sighetu Marmatiei 870 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sighetu Marmatiei

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 Sighetu Marmatiei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 58%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,274 per month in Istanbul and $1,437 in Sighetu Marmatiei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sighetu Marmatiei, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $378 there versus $1,003 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $1,028 per month in Istanbul and $396 in Sighetu Marmatiei. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Sighetu Marmatiei, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Istanbul at $1,516. In Sighetu Marmatiei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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