Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Solna

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,760 in Solna, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. The total is higher in Solna despite lower rent and utilities.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Solna
Learn more

Solna Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Solna

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,760

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Solna

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,760 in Solna, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Solna $1,760

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $2,721 in Solna, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Solna $2,721

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $3,682 in Solna, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Solna $3,682

Istanbul is about 12% cheaper than Solna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Solna sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Solna by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$14.11 SEK 140

-12.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$66.0 SEK 653

-17.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$11.19 SEK 111

-17.61%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.74 SEK 46.94

-7.17%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.26 SEK 22.44

-25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.42 SEK 14.10

-58.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$7.48 SEK 74.1

-37.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$7.32 SEK 72.5

-19.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.38 SEK 13.71

-12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$2.54 SEK 25.13

-64.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$3.51 SEK 34.82

-37.61%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.88 SEK 38.47

-39.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$9.11 SEK 90.2

14.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$12.75 SEK 126

-55.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$21.97 SEK 218

-4.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.18 SEK 31.53

-40.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.03 SEK 20.08

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.45 SEK 24.29

-47.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$2.92 SEK 28.93

-38.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.47 SEK 14.54

-55.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.87 SEK 18.49

-65.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.11 SEK 20.94

-40.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.02 SEK 10.09

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$7.38 SEK 73.1

-67.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$13.19 SEK 131

1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.37 SEK 13.57

75.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.20 SEK 21.82

58.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$4.17 SEK 41.30

-78.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$95.7 SEK 948

-29.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$3.56 SEK 35.24

-63.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$2.51 SEK 24.83

-63.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$80.4 SEK 796

-86.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.80 SEK 17.87

-18.33%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$33.4K SEK 330.5K

52.28%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$32.4K SEK 320.9K

37.50%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$103 SEK 1,022

-14.09%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$22.72 SEK 225

-48.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$40.38 SEK 400

-60.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$37.85 SEK 375

103.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$26.05 SEK 258

-12.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$14.67 SEK 145

-44.51%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$152 SEK 1,505

563.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$5,015 SEK 49.7K

409.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$105 SEK 1,039

-48.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$40.38 SEK 400

1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$86.8 SEK 860

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$135 SEK 1,334

-28.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$794 SEK 7,869

23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$619 SEK 6,132

4.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,354 SEK 13.4K

46.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,032 SEK 10.2K

14.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$6,838 SEK 67.7K

-54.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,815 SEK 27.9K

-36.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$3,500 SEK 34.7K

-65.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

3.53

1059.21%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Solna: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Solna

$619 35.2% 4.8% $31

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Solna

$345 19.6% 32.7% $85

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Solna

$270 15.3% 21% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Solna

$165 9.4% 26.3% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Solna

$166 9.4% 43.3% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Solna

$67 3.8% 28.1% $26

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Solna

$128 7.3% 67% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $794 in Solna. 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 190% higher in Solna, 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 $66.0 in Solna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $345 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇪 Solna

🕒 Local time

11:39 11:39 AM

10:39 10:39 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

85,540

💱 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 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

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Solna 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Solna

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 Solna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Solna is pricier by about 14%, 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 $2,641 in Solna. 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 $152 in Solna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Solna, 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 Solna at $1,760. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solna 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, Solna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.