Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Wallisellen

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,525 a month against $3,410 in Wallisellen, rent and utilities included – about $22,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
165

Cost of Living Index in Wallisellen
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Wallisellen Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Wallisellen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,410

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Wallisellen

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $3,410 in Wallisellen, rent included.

Istanbul $1,525
Wallisellen $3,410

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $5,247 in Wallisellen, rent included.

Istanbul $2,390
Wallisellen $5,247

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $7,083 in Wallisellen, rent included.

Istanbul $3,256
Wallisellen $7,083

Istanbul is about 55% cheaper than Wallisellen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Wallisellen sit above the global median – Istanbul by 13%, Wallisellen by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

$33.69 CHF 27.75

-64.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

$121 CHF 99.3

-52.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

$17.82 CHF 14.67

-46.63%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$6.21 CHF 5.12

-29.15%

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

$5.43 CHF 4.47

-67.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

$4.88 CHF 4.02

-88.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

$8.36 CHF 6.88

-43.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

$9.51 CHF 7.83

-35.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

$2.22 CHF 1.83

-44.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

$3.88 CHF 3.20

-75.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

$4.27 CHF 3.52

-46.60%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

$7.50 CHF 6.17

-67.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

$27.13 CHF 22.34

-61.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

$26.06 CHF 21.46

-78.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

$40.13 CHF 33.05

-46.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

$3.53 CHF 2.91

-48.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.07 CHF 1.71

10.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

$2.68 CHF 2.21

-52.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

$4.68 CHF 3.85

-61.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

$2.05 CHF 1.69

-67.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

$2.30 CHF 1.89

-72.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

$2.32 CHF 1.91

-45.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

$1.18 CHF 0.97

-52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

$11.09 CHF 9.13

-78.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

$12.89 CHF 10.61

0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

$2.29 CHF 1.88

8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

$3.32 CHF 2.74

5.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

$4.26 CHF 3.51

-80.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

$101 CHF 83.5

-35.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

$5.58 CHF 4.60

-76.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

$3.44 CHF 2.83

-73.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

$60.3 CHF 49.65

-81.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

$2.19 CHF 1.80

-34.70%

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

$38.5K CHF 31.7K

28.88%

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

8.39%

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

$230 CHF 189

-61.41%

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

$11.69 ₺579

$31.55 CHF 25.99

-62.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

$66.4 CHF 54.7

-75.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

$82.9 CHF 68.3

-8.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

$46.41 CHF 38.22

-51.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

$22.08 CHF 18.18

-62.59%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

$1,779 CHF 1,465

-42.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$32.9K CHF 27.1K

-21.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

$139 CHF 114

-61.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

$88.9 CHF 73.2

-54.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

$147 CHF 121

-32.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

$172 CHF 142

-45.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

$1,841 CHF 1,516

-46.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

$1,486 CHF 1,224

-57.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

$3,083 CHF 2,539

-35.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

$2,586 CHF 2,130

-55.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

$15.8K CHF 13.0K

-80.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

$13.1K CHF 10.8K

-86.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

$8,461 CHF 6,968

-85.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

1.72

2265.70%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Wallisellen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Wallisellen

$1.5K 43.6% 137% $859

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Wallisellen

$582 17.1% 122% $320

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Wallisellen

$500 14.7% 125% $278

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Wallisellen

$246 7.2% 90.4% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Wallisellen

$328 9.6% 181% $211

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Wallisellen

$127 3.7% 36.9% $34

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Wallisellen

$141 4.1% 90% $67

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $1,841 in Wallisellen. 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 597% higher in Wallisellen, 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 $57.0 in Istanbul versus $121 in Wallisellen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $582 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇨🇭 Wallisellen

🕒 Local time

03:47 3:47 AM

02:47 2:47 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

15,603

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Wallisellen 1,770 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Wallisellen

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 Wallisellen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Wallisellen is pricier by about 124%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $5,115 in Wallisellen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,015 per month in Istanbul and $1,779 in Wallisellen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 122% more in Wallisellen, 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 Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,525, than in Wallisellen at $3,410. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wallisellen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – 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 Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wallisellen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.