Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Trabzon Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Trabzon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Istanbul vs $980 in Trabzon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Istanbul vs $1,634 in Trabzon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,970 per month in Istanbul vs $2,288 in Trabzon, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 50% more than Trabzon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Istanbul sits 10% above the global median, while Trabzon is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 ₺534

$10.15 ₺466

14.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 ₺2,370

$19.86 ₺912

159.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 ₺345

$7.88 ₺362

-4.57%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₺159

$2.84 ₺131

21.48%

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

$1.30 ₺59.9

$1.26 ₺57.7

3.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₺21.33

$0.44 ₺20.03

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₺172

$3.56 ₺164

5.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₺228

$4.00 ₺184

24.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺48.91

$1.03 ₺47.29

2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ₺37.97

$2.04 ₺93.7

-59.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₺104

$1.97 ₺90.7

15.23%

Eggs

$2.63 ₺121

$1.63 ₺74.7

61.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ₺466

$2.98 ₺137

239.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 ₺298

$2.93 ₺135

121.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 ₺897

$19.03 ₺874

2.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺69.1

$2.06 ₺94.5

-27.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺105

$1.98 ₺91.0

15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺59.2

$2.02 ₺92.7

-36.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺74.9

$1.96 ₺90.2

-16.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺32.71

$2.02 ₺92.7

-64.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.53

$0.64 ₺29.43

14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺51.8

$1.97 ₺90.6

-42.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺26.28

$0.50 ₺22.86

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺98.7

$2.02 ₺93.0

6.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 ₺558

$9.25 ₺425

31.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺98.3

$3.01 ₺138

-28.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₺146

$2.93 ₺135

8.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.25

$1.02 ₺46.77

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ₺2,514

$26.92 ₺1,237

103.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.42

$1.98 ₺91.0

-46.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺26.73

$0.61 ₺28.17

-4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 ₺411

$7.58 ₺348

17.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺55.6

$1.23 ₺56.4

-1.63%

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

$45.1K ₺2.1M

$43.6K ₺2.0M

3.53%

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

$43.3K ₺2.0M

$43.2K ₺2.0M

0.35%

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

$73.2 ₺3,362

$50.5 ₺2,321

44.86%

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

$12.25 ₺563

$12.02 ₺552

1.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.15 ₺696

$14.81 ₺681

2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₺2,837

$35.74 ₺1,642

72.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 ₺862

$18.25 ₺839

2.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 ₺355

$5.96 ₺274

29.70%

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

$938 ₺43.1K

$622 ₺28.6K

50.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K ₺839.3K

$8,881 ₺408.0K

105.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ₺2,568

$45.97 ₺2,112

21.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.45 ₺2,180

$26.55 ₺1,220

78.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₺5,265

$59.0 ₺2,712

94.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,865

$30.49 ₺1,401

247.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 ₺43.6K

$458 ₺21.1K

107.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₺28.5K

$355 ₺16.3K

74.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ₺81.4K

$897 ₺41.2K

97.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₺48.1K

$844 ₺38.8K

24.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,147 ₺144.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,664 ₺76.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺55.3K

$945 ₺43.4K

27.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

61.43%

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

Last update for Istanbul: May 31, 2026

Last update for Trabzon: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Istanbul versus $458 in Trabzon. 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 27% 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 $52.0 in Istanbul versus $20.00 in Trabzon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $226 – making Trabzon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Trabzon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,207 per month in Istanbul and $1,470 in Trabzon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $938 per month in Istanbul and $622 in Trabzon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 Trabzon, where all-in costs run around $980, than in Istanbul at $1,472. In Trabzon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Trabzon – 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 Trabzon. 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.