Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Turkey Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Turkey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Italy versus $1,081 in Turkey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,624 in Italy versus $1,676 in Turkey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Italy versus $2,271 in Turkey.

Living in Italy is roughly 59% more expensive than Turkey on average.

Italy (28% above) and Turkey (19% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Italy: monthly costs span $1,170 to $2,508, compared to $866$1,732 in Turkey. City choice carries more weight in Italy.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Turkey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44 €15.00
$8.92 ₺410
95.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.4
$38.84 ₺1,784
104.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.11
$7.80 ₺358
50.77%
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.72
$3.18 ₺146
-37.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.58
$1.26 ₺58.1
138.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.16
$0.49 ₺22.59
175.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.11
$3.63 ₺167
63.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.61
$4.65 ₺214
15.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Turkey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.41
$0.99 ₺45.66
65.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.07
$0.79 ₺36.44
205.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.58
$2.13 ₺97.7
40.38%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.41
$2.32 ₺107
70.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.49
$9.78 ₺449
72.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.69
$5.70 ₺262
118.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.46
$19.78 ₺909
2.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$1.34 ₺61.6
84.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$2.19 ₺101
-1.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.28
$1.18 ₺54.3
124.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.92
$1.46 ₺67.1
132.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$0.76 ₺34.86
152.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.56
$0.61 ₺28.15
196.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$1.00 ₺45.86
55.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.46
$0.51 ₺23.31
5.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.84
$2.21 ₺101
207.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.18
$10.87 ₺499
-33.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$2.15 ₺98.6
-16.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.08
$2.82 ₺130
-14.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Turkey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.72
$0.70 ₺32.26
185.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.43
$44.97 ₺2,066
-5.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.11
$1.06 ₺48.55
460.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
$0.66 ₺30.23
128.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.28
$7.61 ₺349
347.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.76
$1.19 ₺54.5
72.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.2K
$43.2K ₺2.0M
-23.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.0K
$43.4K ₺2.0M
-22.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Turkey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €194
$69.3 ₺3,185
225.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.40
$10.88 ₺500
21.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.62
$14.03 ₺645
120.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Turkey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €47.95
$49.89 ₺2,292
11.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.63
$18.02 ₺828
39.57%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.82
$6.53 ₺300
56.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Turkey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €495
$626 ₺28.7K
-7.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €8,998
$13.0K ₺596.0K
-19.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Turkey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.0
$53.3 ₺2,448
72.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.03
$43.13 ₺1,982
-5.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €84.3
$108 ₺4,946
-8.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €112
$95.7 ₺4,399
36.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Turkey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €740
$627 ₺28.8K
37.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €573
$454 ₺20.9K
46.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,269
$1,175 ₺54.0K
25.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €935
$726 ₺33.3K
49.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,312
$1,741 ₺80.0K
121.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,029
$1,078 ₺49.5K
118.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Turkey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,663
$1,056 ₺48.5K
83.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
42.38
-89.59%

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

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Last update for Turkey: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $528 in Turkey. Capital cities: $1,325 in Rome vs $741 in Ankara.

National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $1,056 in Turkey. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 41% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 147% more in Italy.

Public transport is 42% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 85% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.

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
Italy vs Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Turkey?
At $1,839 per month in Italy and $1,299 in Turkey, there's a 42% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Turkey is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy beats Turkey across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Italy or Turkey?
In Turkey, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or Turkey?
It depends on what you're after. Turkey wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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