Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Krems and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,986 in Krems, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Krems
🇦🇹 Austria
$1,986
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Krems 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 Krems and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,986 per month in Krems vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Krems $1,986
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $3,023 per month in Krems vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Krems $3,023
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $4,060 per month in Krems vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Krems $4,060
  • Istanbul $3,281

Krems costs about 28% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Krems and Istanbul sit above the global median – Krems by 47%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.82 €15.03
$12.30 ₺607
36.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.5 €69.3
$54.7 ₺2,700
41.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.50 €11.17
$9.22 ₺455
35.57%
Cappuccino
$4.53 €4.05
$4.40 ₺217
2.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89 €3.47
$1.68 ₺82.8
131.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.50
$0.59 ₺29.31
374.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.92 €5.29
$4.70 ₺232
25.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.48 €4.90
$5.91 ₺292
-7.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 €1.33
$1.21 ₺59.8
23.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.26 €2.02
$0.89 ₺43.97
153.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 €1.56
$2.19 ₺108
-20.09%
Eggs
$3.71 €3.32
$2.35 ₺116
57.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.12 €17.09
$10.42 ₺514
83.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.94 €7.99
$5.65 ₺279
58.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.71 €19.40
$20.94 ₺1,033
3.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
$1.90 ₺93.8
40.53%
Banana (1kg)
$2.37 €2.12
$2.31 ₺114
2.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.73 €2.44
$1.28 ₺63.0
113.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.34 €4.77
$1.80 ₺88.7
196.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 €1.52
$0.65 ₺32.07
161.54%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 €2.10
$0.64 ₺31.82
267.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.00 €1.79
$1.25 ₺61.9
60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.67
$0.56 ₺27.50
32.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.90 €6.17
$2.37 ₺117
191.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.71 €6.00
$13.42 ₺662
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 €0.63
$2.40 ₺119
-70.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 €1.49
$3.48 ₺172
-52.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.41 €2.16
$0.89 ₺43.71
170.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.6 €46.13
$67.4 ₺3,328
-23.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.04 €6.29
$1.29 ₺63.9
445.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 €1.02
$0.92 ₺45.56
23.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.36 €24.45
$10.96 ₺541
149.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.90 €1.70
$1.47 ₺72.7
29.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K €26.2K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-42.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.0K €25.9K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-34.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$291 €260
$88.6 ₺4,374
228.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.10 €9.03
$11.59 ₺572
-12.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.33 €36.04
$15.81 ₺781
155.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.8 €48.97
$77.2 ₺3,809
-28.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.74 ₺1,122
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.87 €12.39
$8.14 ₺402
70.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$450 €402
$1,008 ₺49.8K
-55.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.7K €12.3K
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-46.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.7 €88.2
$54.0 ₺2,663
82.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.85 €35.61
$40.83 ₺2,015
-2.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$129 €115
$98.9 ₺4,881
30.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 €113
$96.6 ₺4,768
30.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$687 €614
$985 ₺48.6K
-30.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$678 €606
$650 ₺32.1K
4.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,446 €1,292
$1,983 ₺97.9K
-27.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,213 €1,084
$1,180 ₺58.3K
2.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,138 ₺154.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,780 ₺87.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Krems
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,627 €2,347
$1,205 ₺59.5K
117.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.66
40.92
-91.06%

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

Last update for Krems: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Krems
$678
Istanbul
$650 4.2% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Krems
$342
Istanbul
$116 66% $226
Groceries & Markets
Krems
$339
Istanbul
$260 23.3% $79
Eating Out
Krems
$294
Istanbul
$223 24% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Krems
$177
Istanbul
$131 26.3% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Krems
$83
Istanbul
$93 13.2% $11
Getting Around
Krems
$74
Istanbul
$77 3.8% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Krems 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 118% higher in Krems, 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 $77.0 in Krems versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇹 Krems
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
01:04 1:04 AM
02:04 2:04 AM
1 h ahead of Krems
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,500
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 49.36 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.24 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Krems Istanbul 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Krems
  • 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
Krems vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Krems?
Yes – Krems is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,979 per month in Krems 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Krems and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Krems and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Krems, 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 Krems or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Krems at $1,986. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krems it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Krems 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, Krems 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, Krems makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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