Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilkenny and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,358 in Kilkenny, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kilkenny
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,358
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kilkenny and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kilkenny and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,358 per month in Kilkenny vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Kilkenny $2,358
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $3,276 per month in Kilkenny vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Kilkenny $3,276
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $4,194 per month in Kilkenny vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Kilkenny $4,194
  • Istanbul $3,281

Kilkenny costs about 52% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Kilkenny and Istanbul sit above the global median – Kilkenny by 75%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.47 €14.65
$12.30 ₺609
33.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.4 €59.9
$54.7 ₺2,708
23.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.88 €8.79
$9.22 ₺456
7.16%
Cappuccino
$4.23 €3.76
$4.40 ₺218
-3.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.59
$1.68 ₺83.1
73.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$0.59 ₺29.40
257.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.29 €5.60
$4.70 ₺233
33.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.30 €5.60
$5.91 ₺292
6.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.21 ₺60.0
6.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 €2.12
$0.89 ₺44.10
167.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 €1.41
$2.19 ₺108
-27.85%
Eggs
$4.23 €3.76
$2.35 ₺116
80.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.28 €9.14
$10.42 ₺516
-1.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.46 €4.86
$5.65 ₺280
-3.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.76 €6.01
$20.94 ₺1,037
-67.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$1.90 ₺94.1
14.21%
Banana (1kg)
$2.14 €1.90
$2.31 ₺114
-7.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.01 €2.68
$1.28 ₺63.1
135.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.84 €2.52
$1.80 ₺89.0
57.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 €1.07
$0.65 ₺32.16
84.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 €0.97
$0.64 ₺31.91
70.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 €0.76
$1.25 ₺62.1
-32.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.68
$0.56 ₺27.58
237.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.80 €17.61
$2.37 ₺118
735.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.03 €12.48
$13.42 ₺664
4.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.95 €3.52
$2.40 ₺119
64.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 €4.05
$3.48 ₺172
30.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.80 €2.49
$0.89 ₺43.84
214.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$67.4 ₺3,338
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.08 €4.52
$1.29 ₺64.1
293.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.32
$0.92 ₺45.70
61.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$56.7 €50.4
$10.96 ₺542
416.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.47 ₺72.9
34.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €34.0K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-24.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.5K €33.4K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-15.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 €157
$88.6 ₺4,387
99.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.87 €18.56
$11.59 ₺574
80.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2 €44.67
$15.81 ₺783
217.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.6 €61.9
$77.2 ₺3,820
-9.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.03 €19.60
$22.74 ₺1,126
-3.12%
Cinema Ticket
$16.42 €14.61
$8.14 ₺403
101.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$896 €797
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-11.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 €88.6
$54.0 ₺2,671
84.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.46 €32.43
$40.83 ₺2,021
-10.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 €97.2
$98.9 ₺4,895
10.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.2 €85.6
$96.6 ₺4,783
-0.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,490 €1,325
$985 ₺48.7K
51.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 €1,136
$650 ₺32.2K
96.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,593 €2,306
$1,983 ₺98.2K
30.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,801 €1,602
$1,180 ₺58.4K
52.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,102 €7,206
$3,138 ₺155.4K
158.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,248 €1,999
$1,780 ₺88.1K
26.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kilkenny
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,796 €2,487
$1,205 ₺59.7K
131.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.68
40.92
-91.01%

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

Last update for Kilkenny: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kilkenny
$1.3K
Istanbul
$650 49.1% $627
Groceries & Markets
Kilkenny
$277
Istanbul
$260 6.3% $17
Eating Out
Kilkenny
$276
Istanbul
$223 19.2% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kilkenny
$248
Istanbul
$116 53.2% $132
Clothing & Footwear
Kilkenny
$154
Istanbul
$131 15% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Kilkenny
$102
Istanbul
$93 8.8% $9
Getting Around
Kilkenny
$24 *
Istanbul
$77 224% $53

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,490 in Kilkenny versus $985 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 132% higher in Kilkenny, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Kilkenny versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Kilkenny
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
12:31 12:31 PM
14:31 2:31 PM
2 h ahead of Kilkenny
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,500
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kilkenny Istanbul 3,000 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kilkenny
  • Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kilkenny vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Kilkenny?
Yes – Kilkenny is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,537 per month in Kilkenny and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Kilkenny or in Istanbul?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Kilkenny and $55.0 in Istanbul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Kilkenny and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 7% more in Kilkenny, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Kilkenny or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Kilkenny at $2,358. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kilkenny it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Kilkenny or Istanbul more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Kilkenny or Istanbul?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kilkenny makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Kilkenny vs other spots: cost of living compared

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