Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Torun

For one person, living is cheaper in Torun: $1,310 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
64

Cost of Living Index in Torun
Learn more

Torun Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Torun

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,310

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Torun

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,310 in Torun, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Torun $1,310

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,895 in Torun, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Torun $1,895

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,480 in Torun, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Torun $2,480

Istanbul costs about 18% more than Torun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Torun is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$10.15 zł 39.45

21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$50.3 zł 196

8.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$8.80 zł 34.19

4.77%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$3.52 zł 13.67

25.00%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.10 zł 8.15

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.63 zł 6.32

-63.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$2.48 zł 9.64

89.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$4.12 zł 16.01

43.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.98 zł 3.80

23.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.22 zł 4.73

-27.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.57 zł 6.12

39.49%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$2.96 zł 11.51

-20.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$7.82 zł 30.39

33.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.13 zł 23.83

-7.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$14.18 zł 55.1

47.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.10 zł 4.29

72.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.66 zł 6.44

39.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.57 zł 6.11

-18.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$3.19 zł 12.41

-43.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.87 zł 3.36

-25.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.38 zł 5.35

-53.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.47 zł 5.69

-14.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.56 zł 2.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$4.63 zł 17.97

-48.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$7.07 zł 27.47

89.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.55 zł 6.01

54.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.15 zł 8.37

61.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$1.18 zł 4.59

-24.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$25.35 zł 98.5

166.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$2.08 zł 8.08

-37.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.03 zł 4.01

-10.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$6.39 zł 24.83

71.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.58 zł 6.15

-6.96%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$31.3K zł 121.5K

62.43%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$26.7K zł 103.8K

66.66%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$182 zł 707

-51.30%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$10.45 zł 40.62

10.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$16.87 zł 65.5

-6.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$37.66 zł 146

104.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$21.89 zł 85.0

3.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$7.69 zł 29.88

5.85%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$243 zł 944

314.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$5,177 zł 20.1K

393.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$86.1 zł 335

-37.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$39.34 zł 153

3.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$83.7 zł 325

18.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$116 zł 450

-16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$526 zł 2,045

87.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$460 zł 1,789

41.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$844 zł 3,281

134.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$597 zł 2,319

97.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$3,387 zł 13.2K

-7.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,216 zł 8,610

-19.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$1,738 zł 6,754

-30.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

6.21

558.94%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Torun: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Torun

$460 35.1% 29.1% $189

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Torun

$219 16.7% 15.8% $41

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Torun

$185 14.2% 17% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Torun

$146 11.2% 12% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Torun

$209 16% 80.4% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Torun

$53 4.1% 43.2% $40

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Torun

$37 2.9% 51.5% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $526 in Torun. 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 44% higher in Torun, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $50.0 in Torun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $219 – making Torun the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇵🇱 Torun

🕒 Local time

04:55 4:55 AM

03:55 3:55 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

196,935

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, 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).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Torun 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Torun

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 Torun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,965 in Torun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Torun, 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 $243 in Torun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Torun, where all-in costs run around $1,310, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Torun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Torun – 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 Torun. 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.