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: $1,218 in Izmir versus $689 in Karabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Izmir versus $1,073 in Karabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,605 in Izmir versus $1,456 in Karabuk.

Living in Izmir is roughly 77% more expensive than in Karabuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 12% lower, Karabuk 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ₺493

$8.34 ₺405

21.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 ₺1,795

$25.22 ₺1,225

46.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 ₺405

$8.19 ₺398

1.71%

Cappuccino

$3.68 ₺179

$3.52 ₺171

4.55%

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

$1.51 ₺73.4

$1.10 ₺53.2

37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₺25.94

$0.35 ₺16.90

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₺152

$1.69 ₺82.1

85.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 ₺249

$2.93 ₺142

74.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺53.3

$0.89 ₺42.98

23.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ₺47.06

$0.30 ₺14.39

223.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₺110

$2.69 ₺131

-15.61%

Eggs

$2.55 ₺124

$2.77 ₺134

-7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 ₺474

$6.02 ₺292

62.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₺253

$4.20 ₺204

24.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.57 ₺1,096

$10.46 ₺508

115.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₺97.7

$1.42 ₺69.2

41.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ₺105

$1.77 ₺86.1

22.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺59.2

$0.74 ₺35.85

64.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ₺70.7

$0.81 ₺39.40

80.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₺25.67

$0.51 ₺24.66

3.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₺17.45

$0.44 ₺21.22

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₺56.2

$0.43 ₺20.87

169.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₺38.71

$0.32 ₺15.67

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 ₺112

$1.90 ₺92.3

21.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.77 ₺572

$5.10 ₺247

130.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺104

$1.68 ₺81.5

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₺152

$2.10 ₺102

49.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 ₺33.26

$0.61 ₺29.44

11.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.17 ₺2,047

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₺173

$0.64 ₺31.20

457.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ₺50.3

$0.95 ₺46.30

8.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 ₺249

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₺65.3

$1.12 ₺54.3

20.54%

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

$41.5K ₺2.0M

$41.4K ₺2.0M

0.29%

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

$46.2K ₺2.2M

$39.6K ₺1.9M

16.58%

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

$85.3 ₺4,142

$79.2 ₺3,846

7.70%

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

$10.58 ₺514

$5.17 ₺251

104.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.00 ₺777

$10.49 ₺509

52.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 ₺3,166

$17.77 ₺863

266.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.50 ₺1,772

$6.04 ₺293

504.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 ₺390

$4.21 ₺204

90.74%

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

$741 ₺36.0K

$462 ₺22.4K

60.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ₺755.4K

$6,273 ₺304.6K

148.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.11 ₺2,336

$20.30 ₺985

137.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.69 ₺1,927

$28.45 ₺1,382

39.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ₺4,425

$40.92 ₺1,987

122.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ₺4,121

$41.95 ₺2,037

102.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₺29.3K

$263 ₺12.8K

129.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₺20.8K

$175 ₺8,503

145.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 ₺55.9K

$470 ₺22.8K

144.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₺39.0K

$338 ₺16.4K

137.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,488 ₺72.2K

$1,657 ₺80.5K

-10.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 ₺49.8K

$615 ₺29.9K

66.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,147 ₺55.7K

$1,245 ₺60.4K

-7.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.33

3.24%

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

Last update for Izmir: September 6, 2026

Last update for Karabuk: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $604 in Izmir and $263 in Karabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karabuk pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Izmir vs $25.00 in Karabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $160 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 77% 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, salaries run 9% lower in Karabuk. 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: $604 in Izmir versus $263 in Karabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Izmir. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Izmir versus $689 in Karabuk – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $689 in Karabuk versus $1,218 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 $689 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 77% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.