Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sumgayit

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumgayit: $791 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Sumgayit
Learn more

Sumgayit Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Sumgayit

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$791

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sumgayit

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $791 in Sumgayit, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Sumgayit $791

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,233 in Sumgayit, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Sumgayit $1,233

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,676 in Sumgayit, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Sumgayit $1,676

Istanbul costs about 96% more than Sumgayit, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Sumgayit is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$8.41 ₼14.29

46.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$29.88 ₼50.8

83.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$5.95 ₼10.12

54.96%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$2.62 ₼4.46

67.94%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.85 ₼1.45

97.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.58 ₼0.98

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$1.20 ₼2.03

291.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$2.28 ₼3.88

159.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.34 ₼2.29

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.35 ₼0.60

154.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.37 ₼4.02

-7.59%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.14 ₼1.93

106.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$2.91 ₼4.95

258.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$4.65 ₼7.91

21.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$8.93 ₼15.18

134.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$0.66 ₼1.13

187.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.60 ₼2.72

44.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.41 ₼2.40

-9.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$1.04 ₼1.77

73.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.65 ₼1.10

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.49 ₼0.83

30.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.46 ₼0.79

171.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.55 ₼0.93

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$3.52 ₼5.98

-32.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$5.14 ₼8.73

161.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$0.86 ₼1.46

179.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.96 ₼3.33

77.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.28 ₼0.47

217.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$26.54 ₼45.10

154.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.28 ₼0.47

360.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.28 ₼0.47

228.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$4.77 ₼8.10

129.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$0.65 ₼1.11

126.15%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$26.8K ₼45.6K

89.42%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$26.0K ₼44.2K

71.19%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$33.20 ₼56.4

166.90%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$12.70 ₼21.58

-8.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$14.76 ₼25.08

7.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$27.95 ₼47.50

176.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$20.37 ₼34.61

11.63%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$7.50 ₼12.75

8.53%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$278 ₼473

262.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$16.6K ₼28.2K

54.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$88.7 ₼151

-39.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$58.0 ₼98.6

-29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$125 ₼213

-21.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$118 ₼200

-18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$289 ₼491

240.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$206 ₼350

215.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$619 ₼1,052

220.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$294 ₼500

300.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$1,194 ₼2,029

162.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$760 ₼1,292

134.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$357 ₼607

237.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

484.57%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sumgayit: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Sumgayit

$206 26.1% 68.3% $444

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Sumgayit

$143 18.1% 44.8% $116

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Sumgayit

$133 16.8% 40.5% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Sumgayit

$175 22.2% 34.4% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Sumgayit

$61 7.7% 47.7% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Sumgayit

$43 5.4% 54% $50

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Sumgayit

$29 3.7% 61.9% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $289 in Sumgayit. 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 237% 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $30.00 in Sumgayit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $143 – making Sumgayit the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇦🇿 Sumgayit

🕒 Local time

01:04 1:04 AM

02:04 2:04 AM

1 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

331,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Azerbaijani Manat AZN ₼

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.523 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AZN, 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 = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.91 AZN (1 AZN = 0.523 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Sumgayit 1,740 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sumgayit

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 Sumgayit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 96%, 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 $1,186 in Sumgayit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sumgayit, 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 $278 in Sumgayit. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sumgayit, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Sumgayit it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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