Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mostar and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Mostar: $899 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Mostar
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Mostar Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Mostar

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$899

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $899 per month in Mostar vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mostar $899
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,402 per month in Mostar vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mostar $1,402
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,904 per month in Mostar vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mostar $1,904
Istanbul $3,281

Mostar is about 42% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Mostar sits 33% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 BAM 11.91

$12.30 ₺609

-44.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.14 BAM 54.2

$54.7 ₺2,708

-43.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 BAM 9.86

$9.22 ₺456

-38.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.86

$4.40 ₺218

-62.50%

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

$1.83 BAM 3.18

$1.68 ₺83.1

8.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 BAM 2.05

$0.59 ₺29.40

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 BAM 4.07

$4.70 ₺233

-50.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 BAM 3.64

$5.91 ₺292

-64.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 2.01

$1.21 ₺60.0

-4.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 BAM 1.58

$0.89 ₺44.10

2.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 BAM 3.43

$2.19 ₺108

-10.05%

Eggs

$2.63 BAM 4.58

$2.35 ₺116

11.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 BAM 13.52

$10.42 ₺516

-25.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 BAM 12.87

$5.65 ₺280

30.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 BAM 18.39

$20.94 ₺1,037

-49.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 BAM 1.91

$1.90 ₺94.1

-42.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.87

$2.31 ₺114

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 BAM 2.35

$1.28 ₺63.1

5.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.99

$1.80 ₺89.0

-36.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BAM 1.80

$0.65 ₺32.16

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 BAM 1.69

$0.64 ₺31.91

51.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 BAM 1.24

$1.25 ₺62.1

-43.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.23

$0.56 ₺27.58

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 BAM 6.82

$2.37 ₺118

65.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.04 BAM 7.02

$13.42 ₺664

-69.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BAM 1.39

$2.40 ₺119

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.54

$3.48 ₺172

-74.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 BAM 1.94

$0.89 ₺43.84

24.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.85 BAM 64.1

$67.4 ₺3,338

-45.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 BAM 3.00

$1.29 ₺64.1

34.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 BAM 0.96

$0.92 ₺45.70

-40.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 BAM 10.03

$10.96 ₺542

-47.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BAM 2.63

$1.47 ₺72.9

2.72%

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

$29.9K BAM 52.0K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-41.16%

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

$21.3K BAM 37.0K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-52.24%

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

$90.6 BAM 158

$88.6 ₺4,387

2.26%

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

$17.70 BAM 30.77

$11.59 ₺574

52.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.06 BAM 45.31

$15.81 ₺783

64.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.45 BAM 61.6

$77.2 ₺3,820

-54.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 BAM 17.54

$22.74 ₺1,126

-55.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 BAM 10.04

$8.14 ₺403

-29.12%

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

$135 BAM 235

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-86.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K BAM 32.2K

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-27.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 BAM 101

$54.0 ₺2,671

7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.01 BAM 55.7

$40.83 ₺2,021

-21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 BAM 151

$98.9 ₺4,895

-11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 BAM 141

$96.6 ₺4,783

-15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 752

$985 ₺48.7K

-56.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 BAM 433

$650 ₺32.2K

-61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 BAM 1,153

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-66.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 BAM 798

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-61.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,305 BAM 4,008

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-26.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,582 BAM 2,751

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-11.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$860 BAM 1,495

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-28.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

40.92

-89.49%

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

Last update for Mostar: 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

Mostar

$249 27.7%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 161% $401

Groceries & Markets

Mostar

$188 20.9%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 38.3% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mostar

$134 14.9%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 13.6% $18

Eating Out

Mostar

$119 13.3%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 86.9% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Mostar

$116 12.9%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 12.4% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Mostar

$47 5.2%

Istanbul

$93 6% 98.9% $46

Getting Around

Mostar

$46 5.1%

Istanbul

$77 5% 67.9% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Mostar 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 40% 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 $31.00 in Mostar versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $260 – making Mostar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇦 Mostar

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

18:46 6:46 PM

19:46 7:46 PM

1 h ahead of Mostar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,195

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 BAM = 0.575 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark (KM)

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to BAM in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mostar Istanbul 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mostar
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

Mostar vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,349 per month in Mostar and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Mostar and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mostar, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Mostar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mostar – 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 Mostar. 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.