Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Usak Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Usak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Istanbul vs $1,101 in Usak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,251 per month in Istanbul vs $1,733 in Usak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,035 per month in Istanbul vs $2,365 in Usak, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 33% more than Usak, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Istanbul sits 10% above the global median, while Usak is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.20 ₺528

$8.90 ₺420

25.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ₺2,406

$44.17 ₺2,083

15.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 ₺363

$9.66 ₺456

-20.19%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ₺170

$3.41 ₺161

5.57%

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

$1.29 ₺61.0

$1.09 ₺51.4

18.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₺23.15

$0.35 ₺16.73

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 ₺178

$3.72 ₺175

1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 ₺236

$3.79 ₺179

31.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ₺52.2

$0.99 ₺46.79

12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₺35.57

$0.91 ₺42.81

-17.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺104

$2.35 ₺111

-6.38%

Eggs

$2.70 ₺127

$2.26 ₺107

19.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ₺479

$11.13 ₺525

-8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ₺305

$6.30 ₺297

2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.78 ₺933

$17.91 ₺845

10.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 ₺70.9

$1.15 ₺54.2

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 ₺107

$2.17 ₺102

5.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₺61.2

$1.11 ₺52.4

17.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ₺77.0

$1.30 ₺61.4

25.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₺33.62

$0.67 ₺31.47

5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ₺34.18

$0.53 ₺24.89

35.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₺53.3

$0.90 ₺42.30

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₺29.01

$0.40 ₺18.75

55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₺103

$2.14 ₺101

1.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 ₺612

$9.84 ₺464

32.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₺105

$2.11 ₺99.6

5.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₺145

$2.78 ₺131

10.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺33.96

$0.64 ₺30.10

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 ₺2,524

$30.35 ₺1,431

76.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺49.34

$0.77 ₺36.47

36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₺27.34

$0.81 ₺37.97

-28.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 ₺431

$5.62 ₺265

62.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺56.9

$1.23 ₺58.2

-1.63%

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

$45.2K ₺2.1M

$66.7K ₺3.1M

-32.30%

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

$44.0K ₺2.1M

$56.4K ₺2.7M

-21.91%

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

$71.7 ₺3,380

$73.1 ₺3,447

-1.92%

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

$12.50 ₺589

$10.09 ₺476

23.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.63 ₺690

$13.43 ₺634

8.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 ₺2,881

$42.93 ₺2,025

42.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 ₺864

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 ₺359

$5.77 ₺272

31.72%

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

$934 ₺44.0K

$662 ₺31.2K

41.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K ₺870.8K

$11.0K ₺519.3K

67.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ₺2,613

$58.0 ₺2,734

-4.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.26 ₺2,229

$34.85 ₺1,644

35.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 ₺5,275

$103 ₺4,872

8.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₺4,977

$79.0 ₺3,726

33.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ₺44.6K

$520 ₺24.5K

81.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 ₺28.7K

$391 ₺18.4K

55.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 ₺83.0K

$892 ₺42.1K

97.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 ₺50.0K

$701 ₺33.1K

51.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,087 ₺145.6K

$1,213 ₺57.2K

154.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 ₺79.0K

$1,024 ₺48.3K

63.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,174 ₺55.4K

$942 ₺44.4K

24.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

48.43

30.12

60.79%

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

Last update for Istanbul: July 11, 2026

Last update for Usak: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Istanbul versus $520 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 25% 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 $51.0 in Istanbul versus $44.00 in Usak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $233 – making Usak 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 Usak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,200 per month in Istanbul and $1,651 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.

Kindergarten costs $934 per month in Istanbul and $662 in Usak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $1,101, than in Istanbul at $1,467. 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.