Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Balikesir

For one person, living is cheaper in Balikesir: $942 a month against $1,218 in Izmir, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Izmir
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Izmir Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Balikesir
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Balikesir Living Index

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Izmir

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,218

/mo nomad

Balikesir

🇹🇷 Turkey

$942

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Izmir and in Balikesir

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Izmir and in Balikesir actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Izmir vs $942 in Balikesir, rent included.

Izmir $1,218
Balikesir $942

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Izmir vs $1,467 in Balikesir, rent included.

Izmir $1,900
Balikesir $1,467

A family of three spends $2,582 per month in Izmir vs $1,991 in Balikesir, rent included.

Izmir $2,582
Balikesir $1,991

Izmir costs about 29% more than Balikesir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Izmir and Balikesir are more affordable than the global median – Izmir 10% lower, Balikesir 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 ₺496

$6.88 ₺345

43.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.57 ₺1,834

$27.55 ₺1,382

32.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₺417

$7.93 ₺397

4.79%

Cappuccino

$3.69 ₺185

$3.50 ₺176

5.43%

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

$1.53 ₺76.6

$1.32 ₺66.4

15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₺31.77

$0.34 ₺17.11

85.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 ₺171

$2.94 ₺147

15.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 ₺257

$3.99 ₺200

28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 ₺56.1

$0.93 ₺46.56

20.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ₺50.4

$0.95 ₺47.59

6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₺113

$2.13 ₺107

6.10%

Eggs

$2.50 ₺125

$1.88 ₺94.1

32.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 ₺477

$7.80 ₺391

21.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ₺255

$3.45 ₺173

47.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.81 ₺1,044

$18.60 ₺933

11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 ₺99.6

$1.85 ₺92.9

7.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ₺105

$1.64 ₺82.5

27.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 ₺51.1

$0.99 ₺49.46

3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₺71.2

$0.98 ₺49.22

44.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₺29.25

$0.45 ₺22.53

28.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ₺20.52

$0.30 ₺15.26

36.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₺52.8

$0.72 ₺36.35

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₺39.83

$0.75 ₺37.45

5.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 ₺110

$2.23 ₺112

-1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 ₺604

$11.32 ₺568

6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₺100

$2.01 ₺101

-0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₺156

$3.03 ₺152

2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ₺36.27

$0.71 ₺35.62

1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.39 ₺2,126

$39.40 ₺1,976

7.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₺179

$1.12 ₺56.2

217.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 ₺55.2

$1.13 ₺56.6

-2.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 ₺244

$4.00 ₺201

21.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₺70.7

$1.31 ₺65.8

7.63%

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

$45.6K ₺2.3M

$39.8K ₺2.0M

14.58%

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

$45.3K ₺2.3M

$40.4K ₺2.0M

12.35%

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

$84.3 ₺4,227

$44.52 ₺2,233

89.33%

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

$10.46 ₺525

$12.10 ₺607

-13.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 ₺780

$14.95 ₺750

3.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 ₺3,395

$59.2 ₺2,967

14.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.07 ₺1,508

$29.92 ₺1,501

0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 ₺413

$4.04 ₺203

103.71%

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

$590 ₺29.6K

$589 ₺29.5K

0.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.1K ₺1.4M

$12.0K ₺600.6K

126.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.81 ₺2,348

$23.59 ₺1,183

98.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.08 ₺1,809

$16.28 ₺817

121.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 ₺4,578

$70.8 ₺3,552

28.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 ₺3,982

$40.30 ₺2,021

97.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ₺29.7K

$401 ₺20.1K

47.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ₺21.3K

$325 ₺16.3K

30.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 ₺57.3K

$827 ₺41.5K

38.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₺39.1K

$574 ₺28.8K

35.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,359 ₺68.2K

$1,006 ₺50.5K

35.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 ₺50.9K

$806 ₺40.4K

25.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,160 ₺58.2K

$1,297 ₺65.0K

-10.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.22

39.8

3.57%

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

Last update for Izmir: November 1, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Izmir

$424 34.8%

Balikesir

$325 34.4% 23.4% $99

Groceries & Markets

Izmir

$247 20.3%

Balikesir

$212 22.5% 14.2% $35

Eating Out

Izmir

$184 15.1%

Balikesir

$150 15.9% 18.5% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Izmir

$114 9.4%

Balikesir

$68 7.2% 40.4% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Izmir

$110 9.1%

Balikesir

$72 7.6% 35.1% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Izmir

$84 6.9%

Balikesir

$67 7.1% 20.1% $17

Getting Around

Izmir

$54 4.5%

Balikesir

$49 5.2% 9.8% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $593 in Izmir versus $401 in Balikesir. 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 12% higher in Balikesir, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Izmir versus $28 in Balikesir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $212 – making Balikesir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Izmir

🇹🇷 Balikesir

🕒 Local time

19:17 7:17 PM

Same time as Izmir

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,493,242

1,196,170

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Izmir vs Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Izmir costs about 29% more than Balikesir, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Izmir and $1,413 in Balikesir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Balikesir, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $401 there versus $593 in Izmir.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,218 in Izmir and $942 in Balikesir. That makes Balikesir about 23% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Balikesir. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,218 in Izmir and $942 in Balikesir. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Izmir has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $942 in Balikesir to $1,218 in Izmir. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Balikesir is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 23% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.