Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Tongi

For one person, living is cheaper in Tongi: $329 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 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
16

Cost of Living Index in Tongi
Learn more

Tongi Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Tongi

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

$329

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Tongi

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $329 in Tongi, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Tongi $329

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $536 in Tongi, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Tongi $536

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $743 in Tongi, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Tongi $743

Istanbul costs about 371% more than Tongi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Tongi is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$2.08 ৳257

491.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$9.21 ৳1,137

493.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$4.29 ৳530

114.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ৳311

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ৳512

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$1.77 ৳219

148.59%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.34 ৳41.41

394.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.13 ৳15.66

353.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.75 ৳92.7

61.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.49 ৳61.0

81.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$0.58 ৳71.7

277.59%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.16 ৳144

102.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$7.57 ৳935

37.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$2.21 ৳273

155.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$6.06 ৳749

245.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.51 ৳310

-24.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$0.78 ৳96.7

196.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.38 ৳294

-46.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.54 ৳66.2

233.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.25 ৳31.23

160.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.49 ৳61.2

30.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.49 ৳60.8

155.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.23 ৳28.27

143.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.46 ৳922

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 ৳350

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 ৳497

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$2.90 ৳358

-18.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.46 ৳56.6

93.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.79 ৳97.4

63.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.39 ৳47.78

135.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$2.92 ৳361

275.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.19 ৳147

23.53%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$32.5K ৳4.0M

56.06%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$32.3K ৳4.0M

37.85%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$29.47 ৳3,641

200.68%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$4.24 ৳523

173.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$8.04 ৳994

96.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$13.89 ৳1,716

455.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$3.61 ৳446

125.48%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$26.09 ৳3,223

3763.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$1,540 ৳190.3K

1559.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$21.94 ৳2,711

145.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$23.70 ৳2,928

72.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$32.92 ৳4,068

200.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$34.47 ৳4,259

180.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$90.0 ৳11.1K

993.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$50.9 ৳6,287

1177.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$167 ৳20.7K

1084.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$117 ৳14.5K

906.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$671 ৳82.9K

367.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$103 ৳12.7K

1074.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

10.48

290.46%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Tongi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Tongi

$51 15.5% 92.2% $599

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Tongi

$107 32.6% 58.7% $152

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Tongi

$53 16% 76.5% $171

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Tongi

$51 15.5% 61.1% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Tongi

$42 12.7% 64% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Tongi

$21 6.4% 77.4% $72

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Tongi

$4.6 * 1.4% 94.1% $72

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $90.0 in Tongi. 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 1075% 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 $9.00 in Tongi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $107 – making Tongi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇧🇩 Tongi

🕒 Local time

00:07 12:07 AM

03:07 3:07 AM

3 h ahead of Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

406,420

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Bangladeshi Taka BDT ৳

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD

1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BDT, 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).

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Tongi 5,940 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Tongi

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 Tongi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 371%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $493 in Tongi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $9.00 in Tongi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 142% 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 Tongi, where all-in costs run around $329, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Tongi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tongi – 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 Tongi. 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.