Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Thimphu

For one person, living is cheaper in Thimphu: $510 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Thimphu
Learn more

Thimphu Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Thimphu

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$510

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Thimphu

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $510 in Thimphu, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Thimphu $510

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $799 in Thimphu, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Thimphu $799

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,088 in Thimphu, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Thimphu $1,088

Istanbul costs about 199% more than Thimphu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Thimphu is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$2.56 BTN 248

364.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$14.16 BTN 1,372

289.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$4.89 BTN 474

86.91%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$1.31 BTN 127

223.66%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.49 BTN 47.11

257.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.17 BTN 16.47

217.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$2.55 BTN 247

83.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$1.60 BTN 155

273.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$0.77 BTN 74.8

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$1.06 BTN 102

-10.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.03 BTN 100

124.27%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$1.84 BTN 179

34.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$3.69 BTN 358

185.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$4.01 BTN 388

39.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$4.01 BTN 389

428.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.51 BTN 243

-23.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.56 BTN 151

46.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.57 BTN 152

-18.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$0.71 BTN 68.6

159.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$0.56 BTN 54.2

19.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$0.70 BTN 68.3

-15.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$0.39 BTN 38.00

241.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$0.31 BTN 30.22

90.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$3.81 BTN 369

-38.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$2.91 BTN 282

362.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$0.62 BTN 60.5

290.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.31 BTN 127

170.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$0.76 BTN 73.5

9.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$5.18 BTN 502

1182.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$0.75 BTN 72.7

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$1.52 BTN 147

-44.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$0.16 BTN 15.51

6687.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$0.76 BTN 73.4

93.42%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$16.8K BTN 1.6M

208.17%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$15.0K BTN 1.5M

195.37%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$34.28 BTN 3,321

160.27%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$35.89 BTN 3,477

-67.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$24.76 BTN 2,399

-34.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$46.99 BTN 4,553

64.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$7.41 BTN 718

205.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$3.17 BTN 307

163.09%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$45.87 BTN 4,444

2023.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$576 BTN 55.8K

4376.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$50.3 BTN 4,874

4.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$25.08 BTN 2,430

56.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$67.8 BTN 6,570

52.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$14.29 BTN 1,384

576.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$126 BTN 12.2K

687.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$86.0 BTN 8,328

632.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$187 BTN 18.2K

980.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$156 BTN 15.1K

638.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$6,543 BTN 633.9K

-51.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$384 BTN 37.2K

378.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$351 BTN 34.0K

242.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Thimphu

$86 16.7% 86.3% $543

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Thimphu

$125 24.2% 52.8% $139

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Thimphu

$69 13.5% 68.1% $148

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Thimphu

$71 13.7% 46% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Thimphu

$95 18.4% 18.8% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Thimphu

$53 10.3% 43.2% $41

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Thimphu

$17 3.2% 78% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $126 in Thimphu. 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 243% 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 $14.00 in Thimphu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $125 – making Thimphu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇧🇹 Thimphu

🕒 Local time

10:12 10:12 AM

13:12 1:12 PM

3 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

98,676 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.32 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.88 BTN (100 BTN = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.2 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Thimphu 5,660 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Thimphu

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 Thimphu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 199%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $764 in Thimphu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thimphu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $45.87 in Thimphu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 112% 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 Thimphu, where all-in costs run around $510, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Thimphu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thimphu – 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 Thimphu. 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.