Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Usak

For one person, living is cheaper in Usak: $1,024 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Usak
Learn more

Usak Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Usak

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,024

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Usak

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,024 in Usak, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Usak $1,024

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,628 in Usak, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Usak $1,628

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,233 in Usak, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Usak $2,233

Istanbul costs about 51% more than Usak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Usak is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$10.08 ₺499

22.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$43.09 ₺2,133

26.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$9.31 ₺461

-0.97%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.13 ₺204

6.54%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$1.92 ₺95.2

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.37 ₺18.11

59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$3.07 ₺152

53.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$4.86 ₺241

21.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.03 ₺50.8

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.01 ₺49.88

-11.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.93 ₺95.7

13.47%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$2.57 ₺127

-8.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$9.18 ₺455

13.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$5.01 ₺248

12.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$20.00 ₺990

4.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.69 ₺83.8

12.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.89 ₺93.7

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.96 ₺47.46

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$1.41 ₺69.7

27.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.65 ₺32.12

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.61 ₺29.97

4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.91 ₺45.16

37.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.71 ₺35.05

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$2.28 ₺113

3.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$10.34 ₺512

29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.20 ₺109

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.97 ₺147

17.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.73 ₺35.95

21.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$1.04 ₺51.4

24.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.75 ₺36.94

22.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$7.96 ₺394

37.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.40 ₺69.5

5.00%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$42.5K ₺2.1M

19.62%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$39.0K ₺1.9M

14.13%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$73.7 ₺3,647

20.30%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$12.02 ₺595

-3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$15.24 ₺755

3.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$53.8 ₺2,665

43.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$7.04 ₺348

15.63%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$686 ₺33.9K

47.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$18.4K ₺910.2K

39.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$46.38 ₺2,296

16.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$32.80 ₺1,624

24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$93.2 ₺4,614

6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$77.2 ₺3,822

25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$429 ₺21.2K

129.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$308 ₺15.3K

110.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$762 ₺37.7K

160.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$575 ₺28.5K

105.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$1,435 ₺71.0K

118.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$1,021 ₺50.5K

74.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$889 ₺44.0K

35.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

2.30%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Usak: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Usak

$308 30.1% 52.6% $342

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Usak

$235 22.9% 9.7% $25

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Usak

$192 18.8% 13.8% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Usak

$112 11% 14% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Usak

$101 9.9% 13% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Usak

$68 6.6% 27.3% $26

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Usak

$7.7 * 0.8% 90% $69

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 $429 in Usak. 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 36% 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 $43.00 in Usak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $235 – making Usak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇷 Usak

🕒 Local time

02:35 2:35 AM

Same time as Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

377,001

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Istanbul Usak 260 km

From you

Istanbul
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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 Usak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,536 in Usak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Usak, 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 $43.00 in Usak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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 Usak, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Usak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Usak – 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 Usak. 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.