Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kutahya and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Kutahya: $837 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Kutahya
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Kutahya Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Kutahya

🇹🇷 Turkey

$837

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $837 per month in Kutahya vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kutahya $837
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Kutahya vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kutahya $1,368
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $1,899 per month in Kutahya vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kutahya $1,899
Istanbul $3,212

Kutahya is about 45% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kutahya sits 38% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 ₺341

$11.81 ₺591

-42.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.60 ₺2,231

$54.9 ₺2,747

-18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 ₺501

$9.26 ₺463

8.32%

Cappuccino

$3.15 ₺158

$4.30 ₺215

-26.74%

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

$0.99 ₺49.43

$1.77 ₺88.7

-44.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₺20.64

$0.56 ₺28.24

-26.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 ₺249

$4.69 ₺234

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 ₺326

$7.12 ₺356

-8.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺59.0

$1.25 ₺62.6

-5.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₺18.47

$0.88 ₺44.04

-57.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ₺76.3

$2.20 ₺110

-30.45%

Eggs

$1.41 ₺70.4

$2.43 ₺122

-41.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 ₺460

$10.48 ₺524

-12.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.64 ₺132

$5.31 ₺266

-50.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.05 ₺903

$21.10 ₺1,055

-14.45%

Apples (1kg)

$0.49 ₺24.46

$1.86 ₺92.8

-73.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₺92.5

$2.30 ₺115

-19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 ₺33.75

$1.22 ₺60.8

-45.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺33.38

$1.80 ₺89.9

-62.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 ₺14.42

$0.69 ₺34.73

-57.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.29 ₺14.44

$0.64 ₺32.07

-54.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₺23.89

$1.36 ₺67.8

-64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₺23.89

$0.58 ₺28.86

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 ₺111

$2.34 ₺117

-5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 ₺602

$13.03 ₺652

-7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₺112

$2.36 ₺118

-5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₺164

$3.32 ₺166

-1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ₺36.32

$0.88 ₺43.95

-17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.74 ₺1,238

$66.1 ₺3,307

-62.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 ₺49.20

$1.28 ₺64.2

-23.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₺15.52

$0.85 ₺42.68

-63.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 ₺408

$11.09 ₺555

-26.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₺69.9

$1.48 ₺73.8

-5.41%

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

$47.0K ₺2.4M

$48.6K ₺2.4M

-3.36%

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

$41.1K ₺2.1M

$42.0K ₺2.1M

-2.15%

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

$102 ₺5,122

$92.7 ₺4,637

10.46%

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

$10.90 ₺545

$11.20 ₺560

-2.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.99 ₺750

$15.89 ₺795

-5.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.61 ₺1,531

$74.7 ₺3,735

-59.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.67 ₺984

$22.95 ₺1,148

-14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 ₺301

$8.05 ₺403

-25.09%

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

$1,110 ₺55.5K

$948 ₺47.4K

17.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K ₺1.1M

$36.9K ₺1.8M

-38.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.98 ₺900

$53.9 ₺2,695

-66.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.17 ₺1,009

$41.49 ₺2,075

-51.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 ₺4,007

$101 ₺5,046

-20.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 ₺4,856

$91.3 ₺4,567

6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₺9,869

$1,014 ₺50.7K

-80.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₺9,001

$625 ₺31.2K

-71.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 ₺25.3K

$2,005 ₺100.3K

-74.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ₺19.8K

$1,126 ₺56.3K

-64.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,712 ₺135.7K

$2,988 ₺149.4K

-9.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,547 ₺77.4K

$1,730 ₺86.5K

-10.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$689 ₺34.4K

$1,136 ₺56.8K

-39.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

-1.04%

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

Last update for Kutahya: November 1, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kutahya

$193 23%

Istanbul

$258 17% 34.1% $66

Accommodation & Living

Kutahya

$180 21.5%

Istanbul

$625 41.1% 247% $445

Eating Out

Kutahya

$166 19.8%

Istanbul

$221 14.6% 33.1% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kutahya

$128 15.3%

Istanbul

$120 7.9% 6.6% $8.5

Clothing & Footwear

Kutahya

$97 11.6%

Istanbul

$129 8.5% 33.5% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Kutahya

$43 5.1%

Istanbul

$91 6% 113% $48

Getting Around

Kutahya

$30 3.6%

Istanbul

$75 5% 149% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Kutahya versus $1,014 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 65% higher in Istanbul, 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 $45 in Kutahya versus $55 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $258 – making Kutahya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Kutahya

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

10:18 10:18 AM

Same time as Kutahya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

573,642

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.79 EUR

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.79 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Kutahya vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 82%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,255 per month in Kutahya and $2,278 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kutahya, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $197 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $1,110 per month in Kutahya and $948 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kutahya, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Kutahya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $837 in Kutahya to $1,519 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Kutahya. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.