Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moratuwa and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $1,516 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,516

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $131 per month in Moratuwa vs $1,516 in Istanbul, rent included.

Moratuwa $131
Istanbul $1,516

A couple spends around $211 per month in Moratuwa vs $2,356 in Istanbul, rent included.

Moratuwa $211
Istanbul $2,356

A family of three spends $291 per month in Moratuwa vs $3,197 in Istanbul, rent included.

Moratuwa $291
Istanbul $3,197

Moratuwa is about 91% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Moratuwa sits 90% below the global median, while Istanbul is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 ₺577

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ₺468

Cappuccino

$1.84 LKR 611

$4.23 ₺211

-56.50%

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

$0.71 LKR 234

$1.72 ₺85.6

-58.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 LKR 49.28

$0.57 ₺28.26

-73.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 LKR 616

$4.65 ₺232

-60.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LKR 816

$6.84 ₺341

-64.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 417

$1.20 ₺60.0

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 154

$0.94 ₺46.97

-51.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 272

$2.24 ₺112

-63.39%

Eggs

$2.36 LKR 785

$2.42 ₺121

-2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 LKR 4,078

$10.24 ₺510

19.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₺268

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.19 ₺1,056

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₺94.3

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 LKR 154

$2.22 ₺111

-79.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₺62.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₺90.0

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₺34.84

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.13

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₺60.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₺27.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ₺663

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₺116

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₺172

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₺45.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.3 ₺3,306

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₺42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺553

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ₺70.8

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

$49.2K ₺2.5M

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

$42.8K ₺2.1M

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

$87.7 ₺4,373

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

$4.44 LKR 1,475

$11.28 ₺562

-60.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺792

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.01 LKR 4,989

$75.9 ₺3,783

-80.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.08 LKR 1,024

$23.04 ₺1,148

-86.63%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₺409

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

$1,028 ₺51.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,658

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$6.05 LKR 2,013

$39.69 ₺1,978

-84.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 ₺4,972

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,661

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 ₺50.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 ₺31.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 ₺97.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 ₺55.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 ₺153.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,753 ₺87.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 ₺58.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

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

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moratuwa

–

Istanbul

$628 41.5%

Groceries & Markets

Moratuwa

–

Istanbul

$258 17%

Eating Out

Moratuwa

–

Istanbul

$218 14.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Moratuwa

–

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moratuwa

–

Istanbul

$115 7.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Moratuwa

–

Istanbul

$92 6.1%

Getting Around

Moratuwa

–

Istanbul

$76 5%

Good to know

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

03:41 3:41 AM

01:11 1:11 AM

2 h 30 min behind Moratuwa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,000

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

100 TRY = 2.01 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Moratuwa Istanbul 6,300 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Moratuwa
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

Moratuwa vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 1055%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $197 per month in Moratuwa and $2,274 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $131 in Moratuwa and $1,516 in Istanbul. That makes Moratuwa about 91% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 272% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Moratuwa, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Istanbul at $1,516. In Moratuwa 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 $131 in Moratuwa to $1,516 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.