Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Zonguldak Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Zonguldak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,494 per month in Istanbul vs $1,082 in Zonguldak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,338 per month in Istanbul vs $1,583 in Zonguldak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in Istanbul vs $2,083 in Zonguldak, rent included.

Istanbul costs about 38% more than Zonguldak, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Istanbul sits 8% above the global median, while Zonguldak is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ₺492

$8.27 ₺402

22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ₺2,461

$23.03 ₺1,118

120.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 ₺441

$7.39 ₺359

23.00%

Cappuccino

$4.05 ₺197

$3.75 ₺182

8.00%

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

$1.74 ₺84.3

$1.53 ₺74.1

13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 ₺27.70

$0.40 ₺19.32

42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 ₺197

$4.32 ₺210

-6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 ₺293

$4.02 ₺195

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.4

$0.98 ₺47.55

24.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 ₺45.81

$0.91 ₺44.21

3.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₺118

$2.41 ₺117

1.24%

Eggs

$2.46 ₺119

$2.55 ₺124

-3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 ₺500

$9.92 ₺482

3.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 ₺260

$5.21 ₺253

2.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.09 ₺1,024

$20.54 ₺997

2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₺95.9

$1.98 ₺96.3

-0.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ₺109

$2.16 ₺105

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₺58.5

$1.33 ₺64.5

-9.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ₺93.3

$1.55 ₺75.0

23.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 ₺28.65

$0.57 ₺27.57

3.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₺25.04

$0.55 ₺26.64

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₺53.0

$1.08 ₺52.4

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺28.62

$0.70 ₺33.75

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 ₺113

$2.02 ₺97.9

15.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.24 ₺643

$12.34 ₺599

7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺116

$2.10 ₺102

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₺165

$2.11 ₺102

60.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ₺41.57

$2.02 ₺97.9

-57.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.9 ₺3,298

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₺63.5

$1.27 ₺61.7

3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺44.88

$0.77 ₺37.49

19.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.72 ₺520

$6.52 ₺316

64.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₺66.8

$1.24 ₺60.1

11.29%

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

$50.7K ₺2.5M

$50.3K ₺2.4M

0.83%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$42.3K ₺2.1M

5.08%

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

$88.6 ₺4,302

$67.4 ₺3,270

31.57%

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

$11.48 ₺557

$11.01 ₺535

4.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.51 ₺802

$17.18 ₺834

-3.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 ₺3,361

$45.81 ₺2,224

51.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 ₺1,138

$52.0 ₺2,523

-54.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.37 ₺407

$5.57 ₺271

50.27%

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

$978 ₺47.5K

$1,040 ₺50.5K

-5.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K ₺1.4M

$18.5K ₺898.6K

51.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ₺2,624

$49.26 ₺2,392

9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.94 ₺1,890

$49.75 ₺2,416

-21.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺4,881

$102 ₺4,954

-1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ₺4,583

$97.7 ₺4,743

-3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 ₺48.1K

$435 ₺21.1K

127.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 ₺31.0K

$365 ₺17.7K

74.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 ₺94.5K

$443 ₺21.5K

339.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 ₺55.5K

$488 ₺23.7K

134.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,979 ₺144.6K

$1,165 ₺56.5K

155.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,694 ₺82.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 ₺58.1K

$869 ₺42.2K

37.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.26

43.33

-4.78%

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

Last update for Istanbul: September 5, 2026

Last update for Zonguldak: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $991 in Istanbul versus $435 in Zonguldak. 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 38% 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 $23.00 in Zonguldak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $247 – making Zonguldak 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 Zonguldak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 38%, 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 $2,242 per month in Istanbul and $1,623 in Zonguldak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zonguldak, 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 $51.0 in Istanbul and $23.00 in Zonguldak. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zonguldak, where all-in costs run around $1,082, than in Istanbul at $1,494. In Zonguldak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zonguldak – 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 Zonguldak. 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.