Cost of Living Comparison Between Japan and Turkey Cost of Living Comparison Between Japan and Turkey

Name: Turkey
Address: TR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,243 per month in Japan vs $1,081 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,941 per month in Japan vs $1,675 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,639 per month in Japan vs $2,268 in Turkey, rent included.

The cost of living in Japan is about 15% higher than in Turkey on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Japan and Turkey are more affordable than the global median – Japan 7% lower, Turkey 19% lower.

Cost ranges are similar: Japan spans $1,022–$1,701, Turkey $879–$1,733. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.86 ¥1,114

$8.90 ₺420

-22.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.82 ¥5,657

$37.67 ₺1,777

-7.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 ¥906

$7.72 ₺364

-27.85%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ¥528

$3.33 ₺157

-2.40%

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

$1.09 ¥177

$1.34 ₺63.2

-18.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥135

$0.48 ₺22.74

72.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 ¥549

$3.59 ₺169

-5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ¥689

$4.45 ₺210

-4.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥247

$0.99 ₺46.51

53.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥261

$0.81 ₺38.30

98.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.60 ¥748

$2.18 ₺103

111.01%

Eggs

$2.21 ¥359

$2.31 ₺109

-4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 ¥1,961

$9.86 ₺465

22.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 ¥1,094

$5.71 ₺269

17.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 ¥3,107

$19.55 ₺923

-2.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ¥870

$1.34 ₺63.2

299.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$2.28 ₺107

13.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 ¥754

$1.23 ₺58.0

277.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.00 ¥813

$1.53 ₺72.2

226.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 ¥476

$0.72 ₺34.01

306.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$0.61 ₺28.95

324.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ¥222

$1.04 ₺49.25

31.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥154

$0.47 ₺22.33

102.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ¥664

$2.14 ₺101

91.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 ¥1,430

$11.22 ₺529

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥343

$2.13 ₺100

-0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥459

$2.97 ₺140

-4.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 ¥243

$0.72 ₺33.84

108.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 ¥9,636

$46.57 ₺2,197

27.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ¥695

$1.09 ₺51.5

292.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 ¥482

$0.66 ₺31.08

348.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.97 ¥3,895

$7.77 ₺367

208.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥192

$1.17 ₺55.3

0.85%

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

$23.2K ¥3.8M

$42.5K ₺2.0M

-45.32%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$43.2K ₺2.0M

-59.53%

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

$175 ¥28.5K

$69.0 ₺3,257

153.88%

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

$26.45 ¥4,298

$10.86 ₺513

143.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 ¥5,650

$14.06 ₺664

147.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 ¥9,540

$49.31 ₺2,327

19.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 ¥2,555

$18.14 ₺856

-13.29%

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 ¥2,116

$6.47 ₺305

101.24%

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

$347 ¥56.4K

$637 ₺30.1K

-45.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$12.9K ₺608.0K

4.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.15 ¥7,986

$54.5 ₺2,570

-9.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.83 ¥5,335

$44.31 ₺2,090

-25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 ¥10.2K

$108 ₺5,073

-41.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 ¥14.1K

$94.7 ₺4,470

-8.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ¥98.7K

$646 ₺30.5K

-5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ¥68.0K

$445 ₺21.0K

-6.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 ¥221.1K

$1,173 ₺55.3K

16.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 ¥134.8K

$722 ₺34.0K

14.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,522 ¥897.3K

$1,740 ₺82.1K

217.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,030 ¥492.4K

$1,058 ₺49.9K

186.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 ¥293.6K

$1,087 ₺51.3K

66.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.82

42.38

-95.71%

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

Last update for Japan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Turkey: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $485 in Japan vs $527 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,120 in Tokyo and $726 in Ankara.

Average salary: $1,839 in Japan vs $1,041 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 9% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 17% more in Japan.

Public transport is 74% more expensive in Japan.

Salaries are 77% higher in Japan, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Japan.

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

Japan vs Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turkey is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 4% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Japan, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Japan consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Turkey, contributing to the overall 4% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Turkey, but in Japan it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Turkey is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.