Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Veria

For one person, living is cheaper in Veria: $1,265 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Istanbul outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Veria
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Veria Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Veria

🇬🇷 Greece

$1,265

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Veria

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $1,265 in Veria, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Veria $1,265

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $1,985 in Veria, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Veria $1,985

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $2,706 in Veria, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Veria $2,706

Istanbul costs about 20% more than Veria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Veria is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺592

$16.80 €14.96

-29.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,754

$34.02 €30.29

61.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺465

$11.25 €10.02

-17.69%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺216

$4.15 €3.69

3.61%

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

$1.77 ₺89.0

$2.75 €2.45

-35.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.32

$0.58 €0.51

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺235

$4.35 €3.87

7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺357

$5.54 €4.93

28.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.7

$1.42 €1.26

-11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.17

$1.26 €1.12

-30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺111

$1.67 €1.49

31.74%

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

$4.05 €3.60

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺526

$11.16 €9.94

-6.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺267

$11.13 €9.91

-52.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,058

$12.26 €10.91

72.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺93.1

$2.22 €1.98

-16.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

$2.06 €1.83

11.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺61.0

$1.22 €1.09

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺90.2

$2.57 €2.28

-29.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.83

$1.13 €1.01

-38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.16

$0.87 €0.78

-26.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺68.0

$1.02 €0.91

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.94

$0.83 €0.74

-30.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

$4.38 €3.90

-46.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺653

$7.36 €6.55

77.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

$2.01 €1.79

17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

$3.30 €2.94

0.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺44.07

$1.38 €1.23

-36.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,316

$49.59 €44.16

33.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.4

$4.49 €4.00

-71.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.80

$1.67 €1.48

-49.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺556

$6.60 €5.87

68.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺74.0

$2.19 €1.95

-32.42%

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

$48.6K ₺2.4M

$27.7K €24.7K

75.47%

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

$42.0K ₺2.1M

$26.9K €23.9K

56.06%

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

$92.7 ₺4,650

$123 €109

-24.38%

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

$11.20 ₺562

$22.60 €20.12

-50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺797

$29.68 €26.43

-46.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,745

$34.16 €30.41

118.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,151

$25.36 €22.58

-9.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺404

$9.05 €8.05

-11.05%

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

$948 ₺47.6K

$337 €300

181.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.9M

$9,039 €8,048

308.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,702

$66.1 €58.8

-18.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,081

$39.87 €35.50

4.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,060

$74.6 €66.4

35.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,580

$169 €150

-45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.8K

$329 €293

207.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.3K

$282 €251

121.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.6K

$617 €549

225.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.5K

$560 €499

100.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.8K

$1,004 €894

197.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.8K

$1,961 €1,746

-11.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺57.0K

$1,007 €897

12.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

4.73

754.55%

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Veria: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Veria

$282 22.3% 54.9% $343

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Veria

$267 21.1% 3.5% $8.9

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Veria

$264 20.9% 19.5% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Veria

$157 12.4% 21.5% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Veria

$175 13.8% 46% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Veria

$52 4.1% 42.4% $39

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Veria

$68 5.4% 9.6% $7.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $329 in Veria. 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 13% 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 in Istanbul versus $34 in Veria. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Istanbul vs $267 in Veria – so Istanbul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇬🇷 Veria

🕒 Local time

14:24 2:24 PM

13:24 1:24 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

42,794

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD 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).

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

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Veria 570 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Veria

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 Veria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $1,898 in Veria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Veria, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $329 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $948 per month in Istanbul and $337 in Veria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Istanbul – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Veria, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Veria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Veria – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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