Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Zepce

For one person, living is cheaper in Zepce: $1,095 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Zepce
Learn more

Zepce Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Zepce

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$1,095

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Zepce

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,095 in Zepce, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Zepce $1,095

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,585 in Zepce, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Zepce $1,585

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,076 in Zepce, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Zepce $2,076

Istanbul costs about 42% more than Zepce, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Zepce is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$9.64 BAM 16.76

27.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$29.10 BAM 50.6

87.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$11.03 BAM 19.17

-16.41%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$1.80 BAM 3.13

144.44%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$2.57 BAM 4.48

-34.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.61 BAM 2.79

-63.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$2.49 BAM 4.33

88.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.44 BAM 5.98

71.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.38 BAM 2.39

-12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.17 BAM 2.04

-23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.57 BAM 2.74

39.49%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$2.85 BAM 4.96

-17.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$9.36 BAM 16.27

11.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$8.61 BAM 14.98

-34.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$13.67 BAM 23.77

53.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.86 BAM 3.23

2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.98 BAM 3.44

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.23 BAM 3.89

-42.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$2.13 BAM 3.70

-15.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.02 BAM 1.78

-36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.41 BAM 2.45

-54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.12 BAM 1.95

11.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.91 BAM 1.58

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$3.91 BAM 6.81

-39.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$8.13 BAM 14.15

65.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.01 BAM 1.76

137.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.39 BAM 2.41

150.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$1.29 BAM 2.24

-31.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$1.70 BAM 2.95

-24.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.16 BAM 2.02

-20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$17.17 BAM 29.86

-36.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.76 BAM 3.06

-16.48%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$30.0K BAM 52.2K

69.28%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$21.1K BAM 36.6K

111.48%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$158 BAM 275

-43.91%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$16.53 BAM 28.75

-29.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$36.87 BAM 64.1

-57.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$32.30 BAM 56.2

138.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$11.57 BAM 20.12

96.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$2.89 BAM 5.03

181.66%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$294 BAM 511

243.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$3,518 BAM 6,117

626.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$83.8 BAM 146

-35.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$35.52 BAM 61.8

14.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$104 BAM 181

-5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$142 BAM 247

-31.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$304 BAM 528

224.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$259 BAM 450

150.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$480 BAM 835

313.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$323 BAM 561

265.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$2,764 BAM 4,807

13.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$1,856 BAM 3,228

-4.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

4.44

821.62%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Zepce: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Zepce

$259 23.7% 60.2% $391

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Zepce

$242 22.1% 7% $18

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Zepce

$168 15.3% 24.8% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Zepce

$164 15% 25.8% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Zepce

$211 19.3% 82.2% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Zepce

$38 3.5% 59.2% $55

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Zepce

$13 * 1.2% 83.5% $64

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 $304 in Zepce. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $29.00 in Zepce. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $242 – making Zepce the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇧🇦 Zepce

🕒 Local time

09:03 9:03 AM

08:03 8:03 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

7,500

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BAM, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Zepce 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Zepce

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 Zepce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,642 in Zepce. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zepce, 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 $29.00 in Zepce. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 Zepce, where all-in costs run around $1,095, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Zepce it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zepce – 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 Zepce. 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.