Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mulhouse and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,750 in Mulhouse, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. The total is higher in Mulhouse despite lower rent and utilities.

Mulhouse
🇫🇷 France
$1,750
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,750 per month in Mulhouse vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Mulhouse $1,750
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $2,817 per month in Mulhouse vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Mulhouse $2,817
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $3,884 per month in Mulhouse vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Mulhouse $3,884
  • Istanbul $3,281

Mulhouse costs about 13% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mulhouse and Istanbul sit above the global median – Mulhouse by 30%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.58 €20.09
$12.30 ₺609
83.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.7 €68.2
$54.7 ₺2,708
40.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.18 €9.94
$9.22 ₺456
21.26%
Cappuccino
$3.29 €2.93
$4.40 ₺218
-25.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 €2.71
$1.68 ₺83.1
81.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 €1.74
$0.59 ₺29.40
232.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.43 €3.94
$4.70 ₺233
-5.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87 €3.44
$5.91 ₺292
-34.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 €1.18
$1.21 ₺60.0
9.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.14 €1.90
$0.89 ₺44.10
140.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.50 €2.22
$2.19 ₺108
14.16%
Eggs
$3.85 €3.43
$2.35 ₺116
63.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.04 €11.60
$10.42 ₺516
25.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.23 €11.77
$5.65 ₺280
134.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.62 €18.34
$20.94 ₺1,037
-1.53%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 €3.25
$1.90 ₺94.1
92.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.31 ₺114
-1.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.68 €4.16
$1.28 ₺63.1
265.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.12 €5.45
$1.80 ₺89.0
240.00%
Potato (1kg)
$3.20 €2.85
$0.65 ₺32.16
392.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$0.64 ₺31.91
240.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.25 ₺62.1
52.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 €0.91
$0.56 ₺27.58
82.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.53 €11.14
$2.37 ₺118
428.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 €7.00
$13.42 ₺664
-41.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.15 €2.81
$2.40 ₺119
31.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 €2.96
$3.48 ₺172
-4.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 €1.56
$0.89 ₺43.84
97.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.2 €44.68
$67.4 ₺3,338
-25.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.38 €3.01
$1.29 ₺64.1
162.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.36 €2.99
$0.92 ₺45.70
265.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.53 €24.49
$10.96 ₺542
151.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.47 ₺72.9
34.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K €32.0K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-29.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.4K €33.2K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-16.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 €214
$88.6 ₺4,387
171.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.90 €28.37
$11.59 ₺574
175.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.77 €28.26
$15.81 ₺783
100.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.83 €37.20
$77.2 ₺3,820
-45.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.10 €40.12
$22.74 ₺1,126
98.33%
Cinema Ticket
$11.86 €10.55
$8.14 ₺403
45.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$700 €622
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-30.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,456 €7,522
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-66.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.3 €58.1
$54.0 ₺2,671
21.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.46 €34.21
$40.83 ₺2,021
-5.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.7 €78.0
$98.9 ₺4,895
-11.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 €126
$96.6 ₺4,783
46.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$578 €514
$985 ₺48.7K
-41.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$469 €417
$650 ₺32.2K
-27.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-41.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$982 €874
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-16.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,422 €2,155
$3,138 ₺155.4K
-22.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,598 €1,421
$1,780 ₺88.1K
-10.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mulhouse
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,158 €1,920
$1,205 ₺59.7K
79.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.56
40.92
-91.30%

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

Last update for Mulhouse: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mulhouse
$469
Istanbul
$650 38.5% $180
Groceries & Markets
Mulhouse
$380
Istanbul
$260 31.8% $121
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mulhouse
$304
Istanbul
$116 61.9% $188
Eating Out
Mulhouse
$304
Istanbul
$223 26.5% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Mulhouse
$150
Istanbul
$131 12.8% $19
Getting Around
Mulhouse
$77
Istanbul
$77 0.7% $0.6
Sport & Entertainment
Mulhouse
$66
Istanbul
$93 42.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Mulhouse 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 79% higher in Mulhouse, 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 $77.0 in Mulhouse versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Mulhouse
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
18:51 6:51 PM
19:51 7:51 PM
1 h ahead of Mulhouse
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
106,341
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mulhouse Istanbul 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mulhouse
  • 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
Mulhouse vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Mulhouse?
Yes – Mulhouse is pricier by about 13%, 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 $2,626 per month in Mulhouse 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 $700 per month in Mulhouse 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 Mulhouse and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 47% more in Mulhouse, 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 Mulhouse or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Mulhouse at $1,750. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mulhouse it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Mulhouse 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, Mulhouse 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, Mulhouse makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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