Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lodz and Istanbul

For one person, living costs are similar in Lodz and in Istanbul: $1,469 and $1,526 a month, rent and utilities included.

72

Cost of Living Index in Lodz
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Lodz Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Lodz

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,469

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,469 per month in Lodz vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Lodz $1,469
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $2,141 per month in Lodz vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Lodz $2,141
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $2,813 per month in Lodz vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Lodz $2,813
Istanbul $3,272

Lodz is about 4% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lodz and Istanbul sit above the global median – Lodz by 10%, Istanbul by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.77 zł 38.19

$11.88 ₺585

-17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.41 zł 185

$55.1 ₺2,714

-13.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 zł 36.05

$9.14 ₺450

0.88%

Cappuccino

$3.53 zł 13.79

$4.24 ₺209

-16.75%

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

$2.77 zł 10.81

$1.75 ₺86.0

58.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 zł 10.46

$0.54 ₺26.83

396.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.49 zł 17.54

$4.69 ₺231

-4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 zł 19.54

$5.97 ₺294

-16.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 zł 3.99

$1.26 ₺62.1

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 zł 4.19

$0.95 ₺46.81

12.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 zł 5.25

$2.31 ₺114

-41.99%

Eggs

$3.31 zł 12.93

$2.47 ₺122

34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 zł 42.07

$10.55 ₺520

1.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 zł 27.58

$5.60 ₺276

26.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.96 zł 46.74

$21.21 ₺1,045

-43.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 zł 4.48

$1.93 ₺95.1

-40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.54

$2.29 ₺113

-27.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 zł 9.05

$1.28 ₺63.1

80.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 zł 11.59

$1.84 ₺90.8

60.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 zł 3.29

$0.67 ₺32.86

25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 zł 3.56

$0.59 ₺29.31

54.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 zł 5.17

$1.33 ₺65.4

-0.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 zł 2.29

$0.59 ₺29.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 zł 22.59

$2.36 ₺116

144.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 zł 26.25

$13.47 ₺664

-50.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 zł 4.52

$2.42 ₺119

-52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 zł 6.57

$3.54 ₺174

-52.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.55

$0.83 ₺40.64

39.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.8 zł 198

$66.5 ₺3,273

-23.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 zł 6.14

$1.35 ₺66.6

16.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 zł 2.25

$0.85 ₺42.05

-31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.01 zł 35.20

$10.86 ₺535

-17.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 zł 6.35

$1.47 ₺72.3

10.20%

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

$30.8K zł 120.6K

$51.6K ₺2.5M

-40.26%

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

$26.8K zł 104.7K

$44.4K ₺2.2M

-39.73%

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

$309 zł 1,206

$89.2 ₺4,395

245.88%

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

$8.67 zł 33.89

$11.60 ₺572

-25.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.27 zł 67.5

$16.10 ₺793

7.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 zł 143

$77.3 ₺3,805

-52.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.00 zł 70.3

$22.66 ₺1,116

-20.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 zł 30.71

$8.34 ₺411

-5.76%

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

$514 zł 2,010

$974 ₺48.0K

-47.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K zł 40.1K

$25.8K ₺1.3M

-60.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 zł 291

$52.7 ₺2,597

41.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.66 zł 159

$39.16 ₺1,929

3.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 zł 348

$103 ₺5,083

-13.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 zł 376

$96.6 ₺4,759

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 zł 2,343

$994 ₺49.0K

-39.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 zł 1,784

$629 ₺31.0K

-27.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 zł 4,265

$2,024 ₺99.7K

-46.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 zł 3,167

$1,155 ₺56.9K

-29.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 zł 12.3K

$3,160 ₺155.7K

-0.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,374 zł 9,278

$1,838 ₺90.5K

29.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,605 zł 6,275

$1,203 ₺59.3K

33.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

41.09

-83.28%

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

Last update for Lodz: October 6, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lodz

$456 31.2%

Istanbul

$629 41.2% 37.9% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lodz

$335 22.9%

Istanbul

$117 7.7% 65% $218

Groceries & Markets

Lodz

$222 15.2%

Istanbul

$264 17.3% 18.9% $42

Eating Out

Lodz

$202 13.8%

Istanbul

$218 14.3% 7.7% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Lodz

$135 9.2%

Istanbul

$131 8.6% 2.9% $3.9

Getting Around

Lodz

$60 4.1%

Istanbul

$75 4.9% 25.8% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Lodz

$52 3.6%

Istanbul

$94 6.1% 79.9% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $599 in Lodz versus $994 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 33% higher in Lodz, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Lodz versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $264 – making Lodz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Lodz

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

05:32 5:32 AM

06:32 6:32 AM

1 h ahead of Lodz

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

711,332

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.256 USD

1 PLN = 0.228 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇱 Polish Złoty (zł)

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.91 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

USD to PLN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lodz Istanbul 1,400 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Lodz
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

Lodz vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,203 per month in Lodz and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lodz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $514 per month in Lodz and $974 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lodz, where all-in costs run around $1,469, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Lodz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lodz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

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