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 $1,189 per month in Japan vs $1,023 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,873 per month in Japan vs $1,592 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,557 per month in Japan vs $2,161 in Turkey, rent included.

The cost of living in Japan is about 16% 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 13% lower, Turkey 26% lower.

Cost ranges are similar: Japan spans $757–$1,653, Turkey $670–$1,744. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 ¥956

$9.24 ₺447

-33.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.69 ¥4,794

$40.85 ₺1,978

-24.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 ¥765

$8.87 ₺430

-44.76%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥499

$3.62 ₺175

-11.60%

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

$1.17 ¥182

$1.54 ₺74.8

-24.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥122

$0.59 ₺28.41

32.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 ¥486

$3.64 ₺176

-14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ¥571

$4.68 ₺227

-21.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 ¥231

$1.04 ₺50.3

42.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥236

$0.99 ₺48.12

52.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 ¥752

$2.26 ₺110

113.27%

Eggs

$2.09 ¥327

$2.24 ₺109

-6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 ¥1,835

$9.45 ₺458

24.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 ¥1,000

$4.71 ₺228

35.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.67 ¥2,761

$20.44 ₺990

-13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 ¥743

$1.87 ₺90.7

154.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ¥371

$2.01 ₺97.5

17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 ¥669

$1.10 ₺53.1

289.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 ¥680

$1.38 ₺67.0

215.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 ¥427

$0.59 ₺28.45

362.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 ¥409

$0.47 ₺22.62

457.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ¥196

$1.04 ₺50.5

20.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥140

$0.65 ₺31.60

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥619

$2.30 ₺111

72.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 ¥1,328

$12.22 ₺592

-30.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ¥308

$2.29 ₺111

-13.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 ¥400

$2.89 ₺140

-11.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ¥219

$0.87 ₺41.94

60.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ¥8,643

$41.91 ₺2,029

32.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ¥553

$1.63 ₺79.0

117.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 ¥486

$0.86 ₺41.62

261.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 ¥3,075

$8.27 ₺400

138.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥171

$1.27 ₺61.5

-14.17%

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

$21.8K ¥3.4M

$43.7K ₺2.1M

-50.20%

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

$16.2K ¥2.5M

$42.4K ₺2.1M

-61.79%

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

$158 ¥24.6K

$74.8 ₺3,621

110.82%

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

$24.79 ¥3,873

$10.46 ₺506

137.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.46 ¥5,071

$16.05 ₺777

102.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ¥8,253

$54.2 ₺2,624

-2.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.71 ¥2,767

$20.16 ₺976

-12.15%

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 ¥1,970

$7.32 ₺355

72.27%

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

$562 ¥87.7K

$684 ₺33.1K

-17.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ¥1.8M

$15.8K ₺763.4K

-26.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.40 ¥7,092

$56.1 ₺2,716

-19.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.46 ¥4,447

$45.93 ₺2,224

-38.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,467

$107 ₺5,162

-43.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 ¥12.2K

$96.8 ₺4,686

-19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 ¥89.5K

$606 ₺29.4K

-5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ¥59.2K

$429 ₺20.8K

-11.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,338 ¥209.0K

$977 ₺47.3K

36.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 ¥117.5K

$690 ₺33.4K

9.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,535 ¥864.8K

$1,848 ₺89.5K

199.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,846 ¥444.6K

$1,145 ₺55.4K

148.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,055 ¥321.0K

$1,092 ₺52.9K

88.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

41.74

-95.09%

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

Last update for Japan: September 1, 2026

Last update for Turkey: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $490 in Japan vs $460 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,230 in Tokyo and $739 in Ankara.

Average salary: $1,876 in Japan vs $1,063 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 7% higher in Japan.

Public transport is 93% more expensive in Japan.

Salaries are 76% 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

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

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

Japan 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.