Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Side Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Side

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,274 in Izmir versus $1,076 in Side.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,927 in Izmir versus $1,642 in Side.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,579 in Izmir versus $2,208 in Side.

Living in Izmir is roughly 18% more expensive than Side, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 5% lower, Side 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.00 ₺360

$7.79 ₺350

2.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.77 ₺1,698

$23.29 ₺1,047

62.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₺349

$6.18 ₺278

25.57%

Cappuccino

$3.30 ₺148

$2.64 ₺119

25.00%

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

$1.44 ₺64.5

$1.74 ₺78.0

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺24.98

$0.47 ₺21.24

19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 ₺167

$3.14 ₺141

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 ₺226

$4.10 ₺184

22.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺49.35

$0.84 ₺37.96

30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₺40.81

$0.98 ₺44.13

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 ₺119

$0.88 ₺39.38

200.00%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺110

$1.77 ₺79.5

38.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.59 ₺521

$8.38 ₺377

38.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 ₺297

$5.33 ₺240

24.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.87 ₺983

$16.31 ₺733

34.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 ₺66.3

$1.01 ₺45.32

45.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 ₺125

$2.09 ₺93.9

33.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ₺67.6

$0.73 ₺32.71

105.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ₺87.5

$1.11 ₺49.76

75.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₺39.03

$0.56 ₺24.97

55.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₺29.99

$0.45 ₺20.33

48.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₺42.84

$1.27 ₺56.9

-25.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₺27.13

$0.34 ₺15.30

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺104

$2.05 ₺92.0

13.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 ₺502

$8.72 ₺392

28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₺97.5

$1.70 ₺76.6

27.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₺140

$2.12 ₺95.3

47.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ₺27.21

$0.63 ₺28.09

-3.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.94 ₺1,436

$30.68 ₺1,379

4.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ₺138

$1.08 ₺48.74

185.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₺29.21

$0.61 ₺27.31

6.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 ₺233

$7.65 ₺344

-32.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺52.8

$1.16 ₺52.0

1.72%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$40.1K ₺1.8M

9.25%

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

$44.8K ₺2.0M

$42.7K ₺1.9M

5.07%

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

$98.6 ₺4,432

$48.43 ₺2,177

103.57%

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

$11.35 ₺510

$8.03 ₺361

41.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.49 ₺607

$6.49 ₺292

107.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.05 ₺2,205

$42.64 ₺1,917

15.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.98 ₺808

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ₺335

$6.47 ₺291

15.15%

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

$435 ₺19.6K

$619 ₺27.8K

-29.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₺565.4K

$8,974 ₺403.4K

40.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 ₺2,295

$75.2 ₺3,379

-32.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.47 ₺1,594

$45.66 ₺2,053

-22.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 ₺4,250

$163 ₺7,318

-41.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ₺5,188

$112 ₺5,025

3.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₺29.1K

$513 ₺23.0K

26.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₺20.2K

$395 ₺17.8K

13.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 ₺50.2K

$889 ₺40.0K

25.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ₺33.7K

$702 ₺31.6K

6.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,524 ₺68.5K

$1,382 ₺62.1K

10.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,032 ₺46.4K

$1,010 ₺45.4K

2.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,100 ₺49.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.1

95.50%

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

Last update for Izmir: April 20, 2026

Last update for Side: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $647 in Izmir and $513 in Side. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38 in Izmir vs $23 in Side for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $198 per month, with Side 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 Side: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Side wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Izmir. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Side the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,911 in Izmir and $1,614 in Side to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $647 in Izmir versus $513 in Side. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,274 per month in Izmir versus $1,076 in Side – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,076 in Side versus $1,274 in Izmir, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Side but tight or insufficient in Izmir. The gap between the two cities makes Side the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Side delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,076 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Side hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Izmir and Side 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 Side gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.