Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sivas

For one person, living is cheaper in Sivas: $967 a month against $1,516 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Sivas
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Sivas Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,516

/mo nomad

Sivas

🇹🇷 Turkey

$967

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sivas

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

A single person spends $1,516 per month in Istanbul vs $967 in Sivas, rent included.

Istanbul $1,516
Sivas $967

A couple spends around $2,356 per month in Istanbul vs $1,444 in Sivas, rent included.

Istanbul $2,356
Sivas $1,444

A family of three spends $3,197 per month in Istanbul vs $1,922 in Sivas, rent included.

Istanbul $3,197
Sivas $1,922

Istanbul costs about 57% more than Sivas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Istanbul sits 11% above the global median, while Sivas is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 ₺577

$9.97 ₺497

16.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,725

$59.3 ₺2,953

-7.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ₺468

$10.49 ₺523

-10.49%

Cappuccino

$4.23 ₺211

$4.05 ₺202

4.44%

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

$1.72 ₺85.6

$0.79 ₺39.19

117.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺28.26

$0.29 ₺14.30

96.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 ₺232

$1.84 ₺91.6

152.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 ₺341

$2.03 ₺101

236.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₺60.0

$0.94 ₺46.83

27.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺46.97

$0.77 ₺38.24

22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ₺112

$2.48 ₺124

-9.68%

Eggs

$2.42 ₺121

$2.56 ₺127

-5.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ₺510

$8.40 ₺419

21.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺268

$2.82 ₺141

90.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.19 ₺1,056

$19.86 ₺990

6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₺94.3

$2.05 ₺102

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 ₺111

$1.58 ₺78.8

40.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₺62.7

$0.79 ₺39.33

59.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₺90.0

$1.03 ₺51.2

75.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₺34.84

$0.42 ₺20.89

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.13

$0.29 ₺14.63

120.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₺60.9

$0.80 ₺39.75

52.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₺27.35

$0.63 ₺31.19

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺116

$2.15 ₺107

7.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ₺663

$8.92 ₺445

49.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₺116

$1.67 ₺83.0

39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₺172

$2.30 ₺115

50.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₺45.18

$0.48 ₺23.95

89.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.3 ₺3,306

$15.32 ₺763

333.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.2

$1.97 ₺98.4

-34.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₺42.66

$0.61 ₺30.61

40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺553

$6.35 ₺316

74.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ₺70.8

$1.33 ₺66.2

6.77%

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

$49.2K ₺2.5M

$41.1K ₺2.0M

19.65%

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

$42.8K ₺2.1M

$40.0K ₺2.0M

7.08%

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

$87.7 ₺4,373

$89.0 ₺4,437

-1.46%

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

$11.28 ₺562

$12.43 ₺619

-9.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺792

$12.33 ₺614

28.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 ₺3,783

$30.25 ₺1,507

150.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.04 ₺1,148

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₺409

$4.03 ₺201

103.47%

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

$1,028 ₺51.2K

$249 ₺12.4K

312.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,658

$30.19 ₺1,504

76.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.69 ₺1,978

$61.3 ₺3,056

-35.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 ₺4,972

$78.8 ₺3,927

26.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,661

$59.5 ₺2,964

57.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 ₺50.0K

$459 ₺22.9K

118.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 ₺31.3K

$304 ₺15.1K

106.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 ₺97.8K

$505 ₺25.1K

289.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 ₺55.9K

$306 ₺15.3K

266.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 ₺153.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,753 ₺87.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 ₺58.8K

$901 ₺44.9K

30.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

13.03%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 27, 2026

Last update for Sivas: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$628 41.5%

Sivas

$304 31.4% 51.6% $324

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Sivas

$207 21.5% 19.6% $51

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.4%

Sivas

$177 18.4% 18.5% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Sivas

$103 10.7% 19.7% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$115 7.6%

Sivas

$114 11.8% 1% $1.1

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$92 6.1%

Sivas

$38 4% 58.5% $54

Getting Around

Istanbul

$76 5%

Sivas

$22 2.3% 70.5% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Istanbul versus $459 in Sivas. 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 31% higher in Istanbul, 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 in Istanbul versus $59 in Sivas. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Istanbul vs $207 in Sivas – so Sivas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇷 Sivas

🕒 Local time

23:27 11:27 PM

Same time as Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

621,224

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.01 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 TRY = 2.01 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Sivas 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sivas

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 Sivas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,274 per month in Istanbul and $1,450 in Sivas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sivas, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $459 there versus $1,003 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $1,028 per month in Istanbul and $249 in Sivas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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