Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Ulis and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,918 in Les Ulis, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Les Ulis
🇫🇷 France
$1,918
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,918 per month in Les Ulis vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Les Ulis $1,918
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $2,987 per month in Les Ulis vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Les Ulis $2,987
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $4,056 per month in Les Ulis vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Les Ulis $4,056
  • Istanbul $3,281

Les Ulis costs about 24% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Les Ulis and Istanbul sit above the global median – Les Ulis by 42%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.76 €16.73
$12.30 ₺609
52.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.1 €69.7
$54.7 ₺2,708
42.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.45 €11.99
$9.22 ₺456
45.88%
Cappuccino
$5.26 €4.69
$4.40 ₺218
19.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 €3.96
$1.68 ₺83.1
164.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 €2.52
$0.59 ₺29.40
379.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.71 €6.87
$4.70 ₺233
64.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.67 €5.95
$5.91 ₺293
12.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.21 ₺60.0
24.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 €2.27
$0.89 ₺44.10
186.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.50
$2.19 ₺108
27.85%
Eggs
$4.28 €3.82
$2.35 ₺116
82.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.48 €20.04
$10.42 ₺516
115.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.78 €12.29
$5.65 ₺280
143.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.86 €19.49
$20.94 ₺1,037
4.39%
Apples (1kg)
$3.13 €2.79
$1.90 ₺94.1
64.74%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.31 ₺114
-2.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 €2.54
$1.28 ₺63.2
122.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.14 €3.69
$1.80 ₺89.0
130.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$0.65 ₺32.17
186.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.47 €2.21
$0.64 ₺31.92
285.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.67
$1.25 ₺62.1
49.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 €0.85
$0.56 ₺27.59
69.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.23 €12.69
$2.37 ₺118
500.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.71 €7.77
$13.42 ₺664
-35.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.64 €2.36
$2.40 ₺119
10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 €3.20
$3.48 ₺172
2.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.66 €1.48
$0.89 ₺43.84
86.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.6 €46.01
$67.4 ₺3,339
-23.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.02 €8.04
$1.29 ₺64.1
599.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 €1.32
$0.92 ₺45.70
60.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.20 €40.30
$10.96 ₺543
312.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.47 ₺72.9
55.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1K €31.3K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-30.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.9K €32.0K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-19.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$246 €219
$88.6 ₺4,388
177.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.81 €14.10
$11.59 ₺574
36.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.89 €26.65
$15.81 ₺783
89.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.59 €27.27
$77.2 ₺3,821
-60.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.72 €13.12
$8.14 ₺403
80.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,759 €1,568
$1,008 ₺49.9K
74.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K €8,936
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-60.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €96.7
$54.0 ₺2,671
101.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9 €46.29
$40.83 ₺2,021
27.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 €108
$98.9 ₺4,896
23.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 €142
$96.6 ₺4,783
65.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$704 €628
$985 ₺48.7K
-28.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$559 €498
$650 ₺32.2K
-14.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,377 €1,228
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-30.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,043 €930
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-11.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,397 €3,920
$3,138 ₺155.4K
40.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,859 €2,549
$1,780 ₺88.1K
60.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Les Ulis
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.4
40.92
-91.69%

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

Last update for Les Ulis: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Les Ulis
$559
Istanbul
$650 16.3% $91
Groceries & Markets
Les Ulis
$399
Istanbul
$260 35% $140
Eating Out
Les Ulis
$335
Istanbul
$223 33.3% $111
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Les Ulis
$292
Istanbul
$116 60.2% $176
Clothing & Footwear
Les Ulis
$199
Istanbul
$131 34.3% $68
Getting Around
Les Ulis
$75
Istanbul
$77 3% $2.2
Sport & Entertainment
Les Ulis
$60
Istanbul
$93 55.7% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $704 in Les Ulis 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Les Ulis versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Les Ulis
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
04:57 4:57 AM
05:57 5:57 AM
1 h ahead of Les Ulis
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,253
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.51 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Les Ulis Istanbul 2,260 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Les Ulis
  • 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
Les Ulis vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Les Ulis?
Yes – Les Ulis is pricier by about 24%, 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 $2,876 per month in Les Ulis 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 $1,759 per month in Les Ulis 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 Les Ulis and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 54% more in Les Ulis, 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 Les Ulis or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Les Ulis at $1,918. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Les Ulis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Les Ulis 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, Les Ulis 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, Les Ulis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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