Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Tuusula

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,519 a month against $1,823 in Tuusula, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Istanbul, Turkey
Tuusula, Finland
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,519
/mo nomad
Tuusula
🇫🇮 Finland
$1,823
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Tuusula

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $1,823 in Tuusula, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,519
  • Tuusula $1,823

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $2,854 in Tuusula, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,365
  • Tuusula $2,854

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $3,885 in Tuusula, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,212
  • Tuusula $3,885

Istanbul is about 17% cheaper than Tuusula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Istanbul and Tuusula sit above the global median – Istanbul by 12%, Tuusula by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.81 ₺592
$16.08 €14.31
-26.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.9 ₺2,754
$100.0 €89.0
-45.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 ₺465
$13.39 €11.92
-30.84%
Cappuccino
$4.30 ₺216
$4.73 €4.22
-9.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 ₺89.0
$3.33 €2.97
-46.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺28.32
$2.26 €2.01
-75.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺235
$9.76 €8.69
-51.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 ₺357
$9.47 €8.43
-24.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 ₺62.7
$1.34 €1.19
-6.72%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 ₺44.17
$2.48 €2.21
-64.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ₺111
$2.61 €2.32
-15.71%
Eggs
$2.43 ₺122
$3.60 €3.20
-32.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.48 ₺526
$7.55 €6.72
38.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.31 ₺267
$13.07 €11.64
-59.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.10 ₺1,058
$18.85 €16.79
11.94%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 ₺93.1
$2.67 €2.38
-30.34%
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 ₺115
$2.24 €2.00
2.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.22 ₺61.0
$2.27 €2.02
-46.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺90.2
$3.85 €3.43
-53.25%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 ₺34.83
$1.25 €1.11
-44.80%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺32.16
$1.59 €1.42
-59.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ₺68.0
$1.98 €1.76
-31.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ₺28.94
$1.60 €1.43
-63.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 ₺117
$13.65 €12.15
-82.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.03 ₺653
$14.95 €13.32
-12.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36 ₺118
$3.80 €3.38
-37.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 ₺166
$3.55 €3.16
-6.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ₺44.07
$3.42 €3.05
-74.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.1 ₺3,316
$65.3 €58.1
1.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 ₺64.4
$8.39 €7.47
-84.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.80
$1.25 €1.12
-32.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.09 ₺556
$65.3 €58.1
-83.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 ₺74.0
$2.29 €2.04
-35.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.6K ₺2.4M
$37.1K €33.0K
31.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.0K ₺2.1M
$37.4K €33.3K
12.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.7 ₺4,650
$133 €119
-30.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.20 ₺562
$25.49 €22.70
-56.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.89 ₺797
$22.17 €19.74
-28.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 ₺3,745
$43.18 €38.44
72.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.95 ₺1,151
$21.64 €19.27
6.05%
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 ₺404
$18.65 €16.61
-56.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$948 ₺47.6K
$470 €419
101.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.9K ₺1.9M
$7,368 €6,560
401.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 ₺2,702
$90.8 €80.9
-40.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.49 ₺2,081
$43.91 €39.10
-5.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ₺5,060
$101 €90.0
-0.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.3 ₺4,580
$112 €99.9
-18.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 ₺50.8K
$795 €707
27.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$625 ₺31.3K
$643 €572
-2.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,005 ₺100.6K
$1,239 €1,103
61.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 ₺56.5K
$1,034 €921
8.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,988 ₺149.8K
$3,994 €3,556
-25.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,730 ₺86.8K
$2,187 €1,947
-20.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Tuusula
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,136 ₺57.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.42
3.65
1007.40%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Tuusula: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$625
Tuusula
$643 2.9% $18
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$258
Tuusula
$353 36.6% $95
Eating Out
Istanbul
$221
Tuusula
$316 42.9% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Tuusula
$157 21% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$120
Tuusula
$181 51% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$91
Tuusula
$80 11.3% $10
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Tuusula
$94 24.5% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $795 in Tuusula. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul versus $100 in Tuusula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $353 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇫🇮 Tuusula
🕒 Local time
08:33 8:33 AM
07:33 7:33 AM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
41,334
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.3 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Tuusula 2,170 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Tuusula

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 Tuusula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Tuusula?
Yes – Tuusula is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $2,734 in Tuusula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tuusula, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $795 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.
Is eating out cheaper in Istanbul or in Tuusula?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul and $100 in Tuusula. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Tuusula?
Groceries cost about 37% more in Tuusula, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Istanbul or in Tuusula?
$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,519 in Istanbul and $1,823 in Tuusula. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Istanbul or in Tuusula?
It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,519 in Istanbul to $1,823 in Tuusula. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Tuusula?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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