Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Karabuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Karabuk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Izmir versus $1,006 in Karabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,887 in Izmir versus $1,517 in Karabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,517 in Izmir versus $2,028 in Karabuk.

Living in Izmir is roughly 25% more expensive than Karabuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 6% lower, Karabuk 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 ₺361

$7.03 ₺317

14.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.82 ₺1,705

$21.97 ₺991

72.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₺350

$8.43 ₺380

-7.95%

Cappuccino

$3.27 ₺148

$2.71 ₺122

20.66%

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

$1.37 ₺61.6

$1.24 ₺55.9

10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺25.31

$0.74 ₺33.29

-24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.78 ₺171

$2.61 ₺118

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 ₺233

$2.27 ₺102

127.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 ₺47.05

$0.74 ₺33.19

40.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 ₺40.77

$0.37 ₺16.48

143.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 ₺119

$2.09 ₺94.2

26.32%

Eggs

$2.46 ₺111

$3.31 ₺149

-25.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 ₺535

$7.40 ₺334

60.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 ₺301

$6.48 ₺292

2.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.55 ₺972

$12.54 ₺565

71.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 ₺65.2

$0.99 ₺44.67

46.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 ₺126

$1.51 ₺67.9

85.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ₺68.5

$0.75 ₺33.62

102.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 ₺86.2

$1.00 ₺44.99

91.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₺38.64

$0.77 ₺34.93

11.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ₺31.90

$0.67 ₺30.24

5.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₺43.20

$0.54 ₺24.12

77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₺27.02

$0.37 ₺16.60

62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺105

$2.12 ₺95.8

9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 ₺491

$5.60 ₺253

94.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₺94.8

$2.00 ₺90.2

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₺139

$2.59 ₺117

18.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 ₺29.64

$0.67 ₺30.15

-1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.16 ₺1,450

$31.01 ₺1,398

3.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ₺140

$0.73 ₺32.94

324.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₺29.12

$0.60 ₺27.08

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ₺231

$7.73 ₺349

-33.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₺52.5

$1.22 ₺55.1

-4.92%

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

$43.7K ₺2.0M

$35.7K ₺1.6M

22.41%

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

$46.2K ₺2.1M

$38.8K ₺1.7M

19.11%

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

$99.3 ₺4,478

$88.0 ₺3,967

12.88%

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

$11.31 ₺510

$6.42 ₺290

76.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.21 ₺596

$12.78 ₺576

3.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 ₺2,160

$42.78 ₺1,929

11.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ₺804

$7.57 ₺341

135.40%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 ₺335

$4.96 ₺224

50.00%

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

$437 ₺19.7K

$309 ₺14.0K

41.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K ₺564.7K

$8,837 ₺398.5K

41.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 ₺2,295

$25.47 ₺1,148

99.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.04 ₺1,625

$35.43 ₺1,598

1.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 ₺4,269

$50.7 ₺2,287

86.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ₺5,053

$51.1 ₺2,305

119.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 ₺29.1K

$506 ₺22.8K

27.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₺20.3K

$388 ₺17.5K

16.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 ₺50.1K

$893 ₺40.3K

24.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 ₺34.4K

$711 ₺32.0K

7.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,599 ₺72.1K

$1,357 ₺61.2K

17.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,036 ₺46.7K

$957 ₺43.1K

8.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,129 ₺50.9K

$1,344 ₺60.6K

-16.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.1

-2.25%

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

Last update for Izmir: April 28, 2026

Last update for Karabuk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $646 in Izmir and $506 in Karabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karabuk pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Izmir vs $22.00 in Karabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $183 per month, with Karabuk 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 Karabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karabuk wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Izmir. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karabuk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Karabuk earns 19% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $646 in Izmir versus $506 in Karabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Izmir versus $1,006 in Karabuk – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karabuk runs roughly 4% less than in Izmir. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,006 in Karabuk versus $1,256 in Izmir, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Karabuk but tight or insufficient in Izmir. The gap between the two cities makes Karabuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Karabuk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,006 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Karabuk hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Izmir and Karabuk 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 Karabuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.