Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sion

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $3,235 in Sion, rent and utilities included – about $20,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
157

Cost of Living Index in Sion
Learn more

Sion Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Sion

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,235

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sion

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $3,235 in Sion, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Sion $3,235

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $4,857 in Sion, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Sion $4,857

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $6,479 in Sion, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Sion $6,479

Istanbul is about 52% cheaper than Sion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Sion sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Sion by 140%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$28.97 CHF 23.86

-57.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$89.6 CHF 73.8

-38.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$19.15 CHF 15.77

-51.85%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.60 CHF 3.79

-4.35%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$5.09 CHF 4.19

-66.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$4.28 CHF 3.52

-86.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$7.36 CHF 6.06

-36.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$7.29 CHF 6.00

-18.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.94 CHF 1.60

-37.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$3.54 CHF 2.92

-74.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$4.19 CHF 3.45

-47.73%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$7.13 CHF 5.87

-67.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$26.01 CHF 21.42

-59.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$22.69 CHF 18.69

-75.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$40.09 CHF 33.02

-47.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.15 CHF 2.59

-39.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.70 CHF 1.40

35.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.53 CHF 2.09

-49.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$6.20 CHF 5.11

-70.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.85 CHF 1.53

-64.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$2.16 CHF 1.78

-70.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.43 CHF 2.00

-48.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.17 CHF 0.97

-52.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$10.85 CHF 8.94

-78.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$14.25 CHF 11.74

-5.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.76 CHF 1.45

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.91 CHF 1.57

82.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$5.24 CHF 4.32

-83.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$179 CHF 148

-62.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$5.94 CHF 4.89

-78.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$5.29 CHF 4.36

-82.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$48.12 CHF 39.63

-77.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-33.48%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$34.2K CHF 28.2K

48.32%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$37.6K CHF 31.0K

18.35%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$308 CHF 254

-71.25%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$24.86 CHF 20.48

-53.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$49.64 CHF 40.89

-68.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$135 CHF 111

-42.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$54.5 CHF 44.88

-58.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$20.28 CHF 16.70

-59.86%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$953 CHF 785

5.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$37.7K CHF 31.1K

-32.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$109 CHF 89.7

-50.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$48.21 CHF 39.71

-15.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$161 CHF 133

-38.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$165 CHF 136

-41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,221 CHF 1,005

-19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$1,240 CHF 1,021

-47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$2,323 CHF 1,913

-14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$2,072 CHF 1,707

-43.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$7,339 CHF 6,045

-57.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$5,532 CHF 4,556

-67.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$5,826 CHF 4,798

-79.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

2.15

1803.26%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sion: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Sion

$1.2K 38.3% 90.8% $590

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Sion

$554 17.1% 113% $294

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Sion

$433 13.4% 94% $210

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Sion

$217 6.7% 66.4% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Sion

$383 11.8% 230% $267

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Sion

$175 5.4% 87.7% $82

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Sion

$233 7.2% 203% $156

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,221 in Sion. 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 383% higher in Sion, 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $90.0 in Sion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $554 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇨🇭 Sion

🕒 Local time

10:53 10:53 AM

09:53 9:53 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

34,599

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Sion 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sion

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 Sion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sion is pricier by about 109%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $4,853 in Sion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $953 in Sion. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 113% more in Sion, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Sion at $3,235. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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