Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and St. Moritz

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $3,609 in St. Moritz, rent and utilities included – about $24,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
175

Cost of Living Index in St. Moritz
Learn more

St. Moritz Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

St. Moritz

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,609

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in St. Moritz

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $3,609 in St. Moritz, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
St. Moritz $3,609

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $6,451 in St. Moritz, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
St. Moritz $6,451

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $9,292 in St. Moritz, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
St. Moritz $9,292

Istanbul is about 57% cheaper than St. Moritz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and St. Moritz sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, St. Moritz by 167%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$35.22 CHF 29.01

-65.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$143 CHF 118

-61.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$14.44 CHF 11.89

-36.15%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$6.14 CHF 5.05

-28.34%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$5.49 CHF 4.52

-69.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$4.60 CHF 3.79

-87.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$9.64 CHF 7.94

-51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$6.07 CHF 5.00

-2.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.79 CHF 1.48

-32.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$3.76 CHF 3.09

-76.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$3.69 CHF 3.04

-40.65%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$7.46 CHF 6.14

-68.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$26.32 CHF 21.68

-60.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$27.45 CHF 22.61

-79.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$60.5 CHF 49.86

-65.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$4.03 CHF 3.32

-52.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.82 CHF 2.32

-18.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$3.36 CHF 2.77

-61.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$4.50 CHF 3.71

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$2.53 CHF 2.08

-74.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$2.14 CHF 1.76

-70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.41 CHF 1.99

-48.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.25 CHF 1.03

-55.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$10.91 CHF 8.98

-78.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$14.04 CHF 11.56

-4.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.74 CHF 2.26

-12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$3.12 CHF 2.57

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$3.77 CHF 3.10

-76.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$92.4 CHF 76.1

-27.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$8.02 CHF 6.60

-83.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$4.58 CHF 3.77

-79.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$88.1 CHF 72.5

-87.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.10 CHF 1.73

-30.00%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

27.65%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$38.2K CHF 31.4K

16.65%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$97.5 CHF 80.3

-9.07%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$36.42 CHF 30.00

-68.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$56.0 CHF 46.14

-71.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$73.2 CHF 60.3

5.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$18.35 CHF 15.11

-55.64%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$3,525 CHF 2,903

-71.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$42.5K CHF 35.0K

-39.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$140 CHF 115

-61.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$59.2 CHF 48.72

-30.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$163 CHF 134

-39.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$250 CHF 206

-61.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,799 CHF 1,481

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$1,740 CHF 1,433

-62.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$5,419 CHF 4,463

-63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$4,642 CHF 3,823

-74.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$12.1K CHF 9,973

-85.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$4,707 CHF 3,877

-74.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

1.8

2173.33%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for St. Moritz: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

St. Moritz

$1.7K 48.2% 168% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

St. Moritz

$656 18.2% 153% $396

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

St. Moritz

$499 13.8% 124% $276

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

St. Moritz

$276 7.6% 111% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

St. Moritz

$190 5.3% 63.7% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

St. Moritz

$110 3.1% 17.6% $16

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

St. Moritz

$138 3.8% 80% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,799 in St. Moritz. 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 291% higher in St. Moritz, 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 $143 in St. Moritz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $656 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇨🇭 St. Moritz

🕒 Local time

04:23 4:23 AM

03:23 3:23 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

5,000

💱 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 St. Moritz 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
St. Moritz

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 St. Moritz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Moritz is pricier by about 133%, 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 $5,413 in St. Moritz. 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 $3,525 in St. Moritz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 152% more in St. Moritz, 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 St. Moritz at $3,609. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Moritz 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, St. Moritz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.