Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Walsall

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,360 in Walsall, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Walsall
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,360
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Walsall

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $2,360 in Walsall, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Walsall $2,360

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $3,393 in Walsall, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Walsall $3,393

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $4,427 in Walsall, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Walsall $4,427

Istanbul is about 34% cheaper than Walsall, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Istanbul and Walsall sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Walsall by 75%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$19.51 £14.63
-36.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$84.9 £63.7
-35.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$11.90 £8.93
-22.52%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$4.82 £3.61
-8.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$2.56 £1.92
-34.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$1.80 £1.35
-67.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$6.57 £4.93
-28.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$6.07 £4.55
-2.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.74 £1.31
-30.46%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.38 £1.03
-35.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.93 £1.45
13.47%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$4.01 £3.01
-41.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$9.15 £6.86
13.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$10.16 £7.62
-44.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$11.49 £8.62
82.25%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$2.56 £1.92
-25.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$1.28 £0.96
80.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.92 £1.44
-33.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$3.11 £2.33
-42.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$0.89 £0.67
-26.97%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$1.28 £0.96
-50.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$0.97 £0.73
28.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$1.31 £0.98
-57.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$21.68 £16.27
-89.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$10.17 £7.63
31.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.79 £1.34
34.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$3.02 £2.26
15.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
$3.40 £2.55
-73.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
$97.2 £72.9
-30.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$3.27 £2.46
-60.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.59 £1.20
-42.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$26.99 £20.25
-59.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.88 £1.41
-21.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$25.1K £18.9K
102.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$32.4K £24.3K
37.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$377 £283
-76.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$22.09 £16.57
-47.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$43.10 £32.34
-63.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
$43.81 £32.87
76.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$14.70 £11.03
-44.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$382 £287
163.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$22.7K £17.1K
12.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$87.0 £65.3
-38.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$26.45 £19.85
54.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$56.4 £42.33
75.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$77.8 £58.4
24.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
$1,223 £917
-19.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$1,028 £771
-36.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
$2,088 £1,566
-5.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
$1,636 £1,228
-27.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
$5,501 £4,127
-42.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
$3,689 £2,768
-51.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Walsall
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
$4,157 £3,119
-71.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
5.51
642.65%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Walsall: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Walsall
$1K 58.2% $378
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Walsall
$272 4.6% $12
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Walsall
$312 39.7% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Walsall
$111 14.7% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Walsall
$442 281% $326
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Walsall
$73 21.7% $20
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Walsall
$122 58.8% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,223 in Walsall. 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 245% higher in Walsall, 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 $85.0 in Walsall. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $272 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇬🇧 Walsall
🕒 Local time
13:00 1:00 PM
11:00 11:00 AM
2 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
67,594
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Walsall 2,660 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Walsall

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 Walsall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walsall cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Walsall is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $3,540 in Walsall. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $382 in Walsall. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Walsall?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Walsall, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Walsall?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Walsall at $2,360. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Walsall it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Walsall more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Walsall?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Walsall makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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