Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Staefa

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,525 a month against $3,334 in Staefa, rent and utilities included – about $21,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Staefa
Learn more

Staefa Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Staefa

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,334

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Staefa

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $3,334 in Staefa, rent included.

Istanbul $1,525
Staefa $3,334

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $5,350 in Staefa, rent included.

Istanbul $2,390
Staefa $5,350

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $7,365 in Staefa, rent included.

Istanbul $3,256
Staefa $7,365

Istanbul is about 54% cheaper than Staefa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Staefa sit above the global median – Istanbul by 13%, Staefa by 146%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

$32.82 CHF 27.03

-63.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

$121 CHF 99.3

-52.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

$16.37 CHF 13.49

-41.91%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$6.22 CHF 5.12

-29.26%

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

$5.88 CHF 4.84

-70.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

$5.00 CHF 4.12

-88.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

$8.26 CHF 6.80

-42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

$8.41 CHF 6.93

-26.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

$2.23 CHF 1.84

-44.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

$3.45 CHF 2.84

-72.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

$3.77 CHF 3.11

-39.52%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

$8.37 CHF 6.90

-70.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

$26.91 CHF 22.17

-60.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

$25.91 CHF 21.34

-78.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

$55.2 CHF 45.46

-60.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

$3.47 CHF 2.86

-47.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.75 CHF 2.27

-16.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

$3.58 CHF 2.95

-64.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

$4.48 CHF 3.69

-59.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

$2.49 CHF 2.05

-73.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

$2.28 CHF 1.88

-72.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

$2.48 CHF 2.05

-48.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

$1.29 CHF 1.06

-56.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

$10.79 CHF 8.88

-78.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

$13.68 CHF 11.27

-5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

$2.74 CHF 2.26

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

$3.21 CHF 2.64

9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

$4.37 CHF 3.60

-81.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

$100 CHF 82.5

-34.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

$7.40 CHF 6.10

-82.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

$4.73 CHF 3.89

-80.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

$87.0 CHF 71.7

-87.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

$2.34 CHF 1.93

-38.89%

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

25.13%

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

$39.5K CHF 32.5K

9.39%

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

$236 CHF 194

-62.38%

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

$11.69 ₺579

$31.65 CHF 26.06

-63.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

$56.5 CHF 46.52

-71.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

$79.0 CHF 65.1

-3.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

$44.96 CHF 37.03

-49.47%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

$22.08 CHF 18.18

-62.59%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

$2,812 CHF 2,316

-63.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$42.2K CHF 34.7K

-38.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

$138 CHF 113

-61.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

$59.9 CHF 49.37

-32.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

$147 CHF 121

-32.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

$171 CHF 141

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

$1,581 CHF 1,302

-38.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

$1,382 CHF 1,138

-54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

$2,894 CHF 2,383

-31.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

$2,779 CHF 2,289

-58.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

$17.3K CHF 14.3K

-82.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

$14.1K CHF 11.6K

-87.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

1.72

2265.70%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Staefa: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Staefa

$1.4K 41.4% 120% $755

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Staefa

$637 19.1% 143% $374

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Staefa

$488 14.6% 120% $266

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Staefa

$232 7% 79.5% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Staefa

$324 9.7% 178% $208

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Staefa

$123 3.7% 32.8% $30

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Staefa

$149 4.5% 100% $74

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $1,581 in Staefa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Istanbul versus $121 in Staefa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $637 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇨🇭 Staefa

🕒 Local time

22:49 10:49 PM

21:49 9:49 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

11,567

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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

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Between locations

Istanbul Staefa 1,750 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Staefa

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 Staefa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Staefa is pricier by about 119%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $5,002 in Staefa. 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 $1,015 per month in Istanbul and $2,812 in Staefa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 143% more in Staefa, 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 $1,525, than in Staefa at $3,334. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Staefa 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, Staefa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.