Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ordu and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Ordu: $753 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ordu
🇹🇷 Turkey
$753
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $753 per month in Ordu vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Ordu $753
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,163 per month in Ordu vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Ordu $1,163
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,574 per month in Ordu vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Ordu $1,574
  • Istanbul $3,281

Ordu is about 51% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Ordu sits 44% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.04 ₺497
$12.30 ₺609
-18.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.39 ₺1,504
$54.7 ₺2,708
-44.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.10 ₺401
$9.22 ₺456
-12.15%
Cappuccino
$2.44 ₺121
$4.40 ₺218
-44.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 ₺63.5
$1.68 ₺83.1
-23.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₺14.16
$0.59 ₺29.40
-50.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.83 ₺90.7
$4.70 ₺233
-61.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 ₺99.8
$5.91 ₺292
-65.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 ₺54.3
$1.21 ₺60.0
-9.09%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 ₺22.15
$0.89 ₺44.10
-49.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 ₺73.9
$2.19 ₺108
-31.96%
Eggs
$1.61 ₺79.8
$2.35 ₺116
-31.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 ₺410
$10.42 ₺516
-20.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.21 ₺159
$5.65 ₺280
-43.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.03 ₺892
$20.94 ₺1,037
-13.90%
Apples (1kg)
$1.20 ₺59.4
$1.90 ₺94.1
-36.84%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 ₺98.9
$2.31 ₺114
-13.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.70 ₺34.46
$1.28 ₺63.1
-45.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.00 ₺49.42
$1.80 ₺89.0
-44.44%
Potato (1kg)
$0.29 ₺14.31
$0.65 ₺32.16
-55.38%
Onion (1kg)
$0.21 ₺10.39
$0.64 ₺31.91
-67.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 ₺39.99
$1.25 ₺62.1
-35.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 ₺31.55
$0.56 ₺27.58
14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.09 ₺104
$2.37 ₺118
-11.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.42 ₺1,209
$13.42 ₺664
81.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ₺79.7
$2.40 ₺119
-32.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 ₺74.3
$3.48 ₺172
-56.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 ₺41.54
$0.89 ₺43.84
-5.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$67.4 ₺3,338
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.99 ₺98.5
$1.29 ₺64.1
54.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.63 ₺31.22
$0.92 ₺45.70
-31.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.51 ₺322
$10.96 ₺542
-40.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 ₺64.0
$1.47 ₺72.9
-12.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.6K ₺2.0M
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-20.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5K ₺2.0M
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-9.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.6 ₺3,992
$88.6 ₺4,387
-8.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.25 ₺607
$11.59 ₺574
5.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.94 ₺591
$15.81 ₺783
-24.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$77.2 ₺3,820
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.13 ₺205
$8.14 ₺403
-49.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$254 ₺12.6K
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-74.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.62 ₺1,318
$54.0 ₺2,671
-50.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.87 ₺1,677
$40.83 ₺2,021
-17.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$40.70 ₺2,015
$98.9 ₺4,895
-58.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$24.75 ₺1,226
$96.6 ₺4,783
-74.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$300 ₺14.9K
$985 ₺48.7K
-69.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$201 ₺9,929
$650 ₺32.2K
-69.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$497 ₺24.6K
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-74.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 ₺17.1K
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-70.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$815 ₺40.4K
$3,138 ₺155.4K
-74.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$645 ₺32.0K
$1,780 ₺88.1K
-63.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ordu
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,227 ₺60.8K
$1,205 ₺59.7K
1.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20
40.92
-51.12%

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

Last update for Ordu: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Ordu
$221
Istanbul
$260 17.7% $39
Accommodation & Living
Ordu
$201
Istanbul
$650 224% $449
Eating Out
Ordu
$153
Istanbul
$223 45.7% $70
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ordu
$105
Istanbul
$116 10.7% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Ordu
$57
Istanbul
$131 131% $74
Getting Around
Ordu
$8.5 *
Istanbul
$77 805% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Ordu
$8.3 *
Istanbul
$93 1030% $85

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $300 in Ordu 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 2% higher in Ordu, 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 $30.00 in Ordu versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $260 – making Ordu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Ordu
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
09:09 9:09 AM
09:09 9:09 AM
Same time as Ordu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
750,588
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

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
  • Ordu Istanbul 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ordu
  • 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
Ordu vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Ordu?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 106%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,129 per month in Ordu 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 Ordu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Ordu or in Istanbul?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Ordu and $55.0 in Istanbul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ordu and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Istanbul, 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 Ordu or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ordu, where all-in costs run around $753, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Ordu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ordu or Istanbul more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ordu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ordu 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 Ordu. 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.

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