Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Ungheni

For one person, living is cheaper in Ungheni: $649 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Ungheni
Learn more

Ungheni Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Ungheni

🇲🇩 Moldova

$649

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Ungheni

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $649 in Ungheni, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Ungheni $649

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $1,012 in Ungheni, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Ungheni $1,012

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $1,374 in Ungheni, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Ungheni $1,374

Istanbul costs about 134% more than Ungheni, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Ungheni is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$7.43 MDL 131

58.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$22.44 MDL 397

144.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$6.63 MDL 117

39.67%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$1.41 MDL 24.86

204.96%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$0.70 MDL 12.46

152.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$0.46 MDL 8.08

21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$1.01 MDL 17.88

364.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$1.36 MDL 24.05

423.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$1.62 MDL 28.71

-22.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$0.32 MDL 5.63

175.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$0.81 MDL 14.30

171.60%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$1.85 MDL 32.73

31.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

$10.20 MDL 180

2.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$3.98 MDL 70.4

33.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$8.27 MDL 146

155.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$0.46 MDL 8.16

304.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$1.25 MDL 22.16

84.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

$1.03 MDL 18.20

18.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$1.12 MDL 19.84

60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$0.43 MDL 7.57

60.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$0.34 MDL 6.03

88.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

$2.20 MDL 38.96

-38.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.82 MDL 14.43

-29.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$3.39 MDL 60.0

-30.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

$4.11 MDL 72.6

217.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$1.41 MDL 24.99

67.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$1.68 MDL 29.79

97.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

$0.34 MDL 6.10

158.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$1.64 MDL 29.07

-21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$0.40 MDL 7.11

112.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

$3.63 MDL 64.1

205.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$1.37 MDL 24.30

8.03%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$20.3K MDL 359.6K

106.38%

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$137 MDL 2,414

-32.09%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$10.90 MDL 193

2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$15.78 MDL 279

0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$13.75 MDL 243

443.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$3.82 MDL 67.5

110.73%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$47.29 MDL 836

13.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$16.81 MDL 297

146.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

$32.78 MDL 580

207.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

$65.4 MDL 1,156

39.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

$254 MDL 4,496

298.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

$113 MDL 2,001

451.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$330 MDL 5,840

507.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$274 MDL 4,853

310.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

$2,223 MDL 39.3K

34.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

$1,646 MDL 29.1K

5.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$557 MDL 9,850

104.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

405.25%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Ungheni

$113 17.5% 81.9% $511

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Ungheni

$164 25.3% 36.4% $94

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Ungheni

$109 16.7% 50.9% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Ungheni

$73 11.3% 43.6% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Ungheni

$163 25.2% 36.2% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Ungheni

$21 3.3% 76.4% $69

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Ungheni

$5 * 0.8% 93.3% $70

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $254 in Ungheni. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Istanbul are about 2 times higher, 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 in Istanbul versus $22 in Ungheni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $164 – making Ungheni the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇩 Ungheni

🕒 Local time

13:11 1:11 PM

12:11 12:11 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

38,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Moldovan Leu MDL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

100 MDL = 5.66 USD

100 MDL = 5.04 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MDL, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 17.68 MDL (100 MDL = 5.66 USD). 1 EUR = 19.86 MDL (100 MDL = 5.04 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Ungheni 700 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Ungheni

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 Ungheni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 134%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $973 in Ungheni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ungheni, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $254 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Istanbul and $22 in Ungheni. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $649, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Ungheni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $649 in Ungheni to $1,519 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Ungheni. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.