Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Skelleftea

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,961 in Skelleftea, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
96

Cost of Living Index in Skelleftea
Learn more

Skelleftea Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Skelleftea

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,961

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Skelleftea

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,961 in Skelleftea, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Skelleftea $1,961

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,962 in Skelleftea, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Skelleftea $2,962

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $3,964 in Skelleftea, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Skelleftea $3,964

Istanbul is about 21% cheaper than Skelleftea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Skelleftea sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Skelleftea by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$15.89 SEK 157

-22.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$78.2 SEK 775

-30.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$13.16 SEK 130

-29.94%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.65 SEK 46.09

-5.38%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.56 SEK 25.38

-34.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$2.30 SEK 22.75

-74.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$7.88 SEK 78.1

-40.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$7.69 SEK 76.2

-23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.59 SEK 15.76

-23.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$2.47 SEK 24.43

-63.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$4.91 SEK 48.67

-55.40%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$5.14 SEK 51.0

-54.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$10.90 SEK 108

-4.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$10.78 SEK 107

-47.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$24.10 SEK 239

-13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.17 SEK 31.45

-40.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.40 SEK 23.80

-3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$3.07 SEK 30.42

-58.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$3.56 SEK 35.25

-49.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$2.24 SEK 22.17

-70.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.62 SEK 16.01

-60.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.28 SEK 22.58

-45.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.57 SEK 15.52

-64.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$7.34 SEK 72.8

-67.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$15.00 SEK 149

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.71 SEK 16.90

40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.59 SEK 15.72

118.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$2.78 SEK 27.53

-67.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$51.6 SEK 511

30.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$7.83 SEK 77.6

-83.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.73 SEK 17.13

-46.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$58.9 SEK 583

-81.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.72 SEK 17.00

-14.53%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$32.9K SEK 326.1K

54.29%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$32.2K SEK 319.5K

38.10%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$103 SEK 1,017

-13.67%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$33.24 SEK 329

-65.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$51.7 SEK 513

-69.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$37.65 SEK 373

104.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$25.55 SEK 253

-11.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$14.79 SEK 147

-44.96%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$140 SEK 1,388

619.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$5,481 SEK 54.3K

366.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$94.8 SEK 940

-43.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$39.10 SEK 387

4.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$78.9 SEK 781

25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$153 SEK 1,515

-36.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,127 SEK 11.2K

-12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$786 SEK 7,792

-17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,588 SEK 15.7K

24.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,195 SEK 11.8K

-1.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$4,005 SEK 39.7K

-21.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,822 SEK 28.0K

-36.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$2,556 SEK 25.3K

-52.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

3.9

949.23%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Skelleftea: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Skelleftea

$786 40.1% 21% $137

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Skelleftea

$380 19.4% 46.2% $120

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Skelleftea

$297 15.1% 32.9% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Skelleftea

$165 8.4% 26% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Skelleftea

$188 9.6% 61.7% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Skelleftea

$67 3.4% 28.1% $26

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Skelleftea

$79 4% 3% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,127 in Skelleftea. 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 112% higher in Skelleftea, 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 $78.0 in Skelleftea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $380 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇪 Skelleftea

🕒 Local time

17:45 5:45 PM

16:45 4:45 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

32,775

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Skelleftea 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Skelleftea

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 Skelleftea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skelleftea is pricier by about 27%, 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 $2,942 in Skelleftea. 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 $140 in Skelleftea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Skelleftea, 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 Skelleftea at $1,961. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skelleftea 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, Skelleftea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.