Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Balikesir Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Balikesir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,258 per month in Izmir vs $893 in Balikesir, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,905 per month in Izmir vs $1,484 in Balikesir, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,551 per month in Izmir vs $2,076 in Balikesir, rent included.

Izmir costs about 41% more than Balikesir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Izmir and Balikesir are more affordable than the global median – Izmir 6% lower, Balikesir 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 ₺366

$7.68 ₺357

2.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.68 ₺1,749

$26.17 ₺1,215

43.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 ₺372

$7.83 ₺363

2.43%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ₺148

$2.42 ₺112

32.23%

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

$1.41 ₺65.5

$1.02 ₺47.13

38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₺24.34

$0.36 ₺16.48

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 ₺173

$2.50 ₺116

49.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 ₺241

$3.49 ₺162

48.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺49.19

$0.93 ₺43.12

13.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₺42.10

$0.50 ₺23.09

82.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 ₺118

$1.21 ₺56.1

110.74%

Eggs

$2.46 ₺114

$1.93 ₺89.6

27.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 ₺534

$7.90 ₺367

45.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 ₺300

$5.30 ₺246

21.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 ₺992

$18.06 ₺838

18.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 ₺68.5

$1.58 ₺73.4

-6.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ₺125

$2.45 ₺114

9.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ₺70.2

$1.48 ₺68.6

2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ₺90.5

$1.53 ₺71.0

27.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₺39.95

$0.71 ₺32.88

21.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ₺32.32

$0.62 ₺28.70

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₺46.49

$0.92 ₺42.81

8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₺28.04

$0.54 ₺24.99

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 ₺103

$2.32 ₺107

-4.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 ₺520

$9.90 ₺459

13.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺99.4

$2.41 ₺112

-11.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₺145

$3.36 ₺156

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 ₺30.49

$0.61 ₺28.12

8.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.34 ₺1,501

$28.94 ₺1,343

11.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ₺146

$1.97 ₺91.5

59.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺29.82

$0.65 ₺30.11

-1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ₺233

$8.86 ₺411

-43.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺54.9

$1.14 ₺53.0

3.51%

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

$44.0K ₺2.0M

$41.2K ₺1.9M

6.76%

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

$44.8K ₺2.1M

$43.8K ₺2.0M

2.16%

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

$100 ₺4,658

$64.0 ₺2,970

56.83%

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

$11.25 ₺522

$11.86 ₺551

-5.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.32 ₺618

$12.05 ₺559

10.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.31 ₺2,242

$56.7 ₺2,631

-14.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.63 ₺818

$12.70 ₺590

38.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ₺355

$5.44 ₺253

40.44%

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

$444 ₺20.6K

$846 ₺39.3K

-47.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K ₺567.7K

$5,393 ₺250.3K

126.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 ₺2,423

$32.26 ₺1,498

61.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 ₺1,681

$41.29 ₺1,916

-12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ₺4,367

$90.4 ₺4,196

4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₺5,379

$64.5 ₺2,993

79.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 ₺29.5K

$415 ₺19.2K

53.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ₺21.0K

$253 ₺11.7K

79.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 ₺50.4K

$895 ₺41.5K

21.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 ₺35.6K

$601 ₺27.9K

27.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 ₺71.3K

$1,255 ₺58.3K

22.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,058 ₺49.1K

$814 ₺37.8K

30.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,138 ₺52.8K

$1,020 ₺47.3K

11.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.1

29.75

31.43%

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

Last update for Izmir: June 14, 2026

Last update for Balikesir: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $635 in Izmir versus $415 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 Izmir, 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 $38.00 in Izmir versus $26.00 in Balikesir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $219 – making Balikesir 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

Izmir vs Balikesir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Izmir costs about 41% more than Balikesir, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,887 per month in Izmir and $1,339 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,258 in Izmir and $893 in Balikesir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Balikesir. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikesir, where all-in costs run around $893, than in Izmir at $1,258. In Balikesir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Izmir it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Balikesir costs $893 versus $1,258 in Izmir. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Balikesir. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Izmir makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.