Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Bursa Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Bursa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,274 in Izmir versus $1,041 in Bursa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,927 in Izmir versus $1,623 in Bursa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,579 in Izmir versus $2,204 in Bursa.

Living in Izmir is roughly 22% more expensive than Bursa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 5% lower, Bursa 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.00 ₺360

$9.48 ₺426

-15.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.77 ₺1,698

$30.81 ₺1,385

22.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₺349

$7.47 ₺336

3.88%

Cappuccino

$3.30 ₺148

$2.74 ₺123

20.44%

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

$1.44 ₺64.5

$1.13 ₺50.7

27.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺24.98

$0.43 ₺19.22

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ₺167

$2.13 ₺95.8

74.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 ₺226

$2.23 ₺100

125.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.35

$0.93 ₺41.95

18.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₺40.81

$0.78 ₺35.02

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 ₺119

$1.95 ₺87.9

35.38%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺110

$1.96 ₺88.0

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.59 ₺521

$9.45 ₺425

22.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 ₺297

$5.81 ₺261

13.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.87 ₺983

$18.94 ₺851

15.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 ₺66.3

$1.48 ₺66.7

-0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 ₺125

$2.29 ₺103

21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ₺67.6

$1.29 ₺57.8

16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ₺87.5

$1.56 ₺70.3

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₺39.03

$0.74 ₺33.37

17.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₺29.99

$0.46 ₺20.60

45.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₺42.84

$0.89 ₺39.82

6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₺27.13

$0.28 ₺12.40

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺104

$2.22 ₺99.7

4.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 ₺502

$11.04 ₺496

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₺97.5

$2.04 ₺91.6

6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₺140

$2.00 ₺89.7

56.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ₺27.21

$1.69 ₺75.9

-63.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.94 ₺1,436

$48.58 ₺2,184

-34.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ₺138

$0.87 ₺39.15

254.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₺29.21

$0.62 ₺27.66

4.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 ₺233

$8.93 ₺401

-41.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺52.8

$1.21 ₺54.5

-2.48%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$41.4K ₺1.9M

5.84%

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

$44.8K ₺2.0M

$43.8K ₺2.0M

2.31%

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

$98.6 ₺4,432

$56.0 ₺2,516

76.12%

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

$11.35 ₺510

$9.80 ₺441

15.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.49 ₺607

$11.65 ₺524

15.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.05 ₺2,205

$56.6 ₺2,543

-13.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.98 ₺808

$37.76 ₺1,697

-52.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ₺335

$7.85 ₺353

-5.10%

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

$435 ₺19.6K

$375 ₺16.8K

16.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₺565.4K

$18.1K ₺812.3K

-30.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₺2,295

$57.1 ₺2,566

-10.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.47 ₺1,594

$43.62 ₺1,961

-18.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 ₺4,250

$99.9 ₺4,489

-5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₺5,188

$81.8 ₺3,676

41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₺29.1K

$437 ₺19.6K

48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₺20.2K

$346 ₺15.5K

30.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 ₺50.2K

$802 ₺36.0K

39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ₺33.7K

$515 ₺23.1K

45.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,524 ₺68.5K

$1,341 ₺60.3K

13.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,032 ₺46.4K

$1,224 ₺55.0K

-15.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,100 ₺49.5K

$1,054 ₺47.4K

4.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.1

42.62

-8.26%

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

Last update for Izmir: April 20, 2026

Last update for Bursa: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Izmir and $437 in Bursa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Izmir pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38 in Izmir vs $31 in Bursa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $227 per month, with Bursa cheaper across the board.

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 Bursa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bursa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Izmir pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $647 in Izmir versus $437 in Bursa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Izmir. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bursa – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $38.00 in Izmir. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,041 in Bursa versus $1,274 in Izmir, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bursa but tight or insufficient in Izmir. The gap between the two cities makes Bursa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bursa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Izmir, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Izmir and Bursa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bursa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.