Cost of Living Comparison Between Plzen and Istanbul Cost of Living Comparison Between Plzen and Istanbul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,631 per month in Plzen vs $1,467 in Istanbul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Plzen vs $2,251 in Istanbul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Plzen vs $3,035 in Istanbul, rent included.

Plzen costs about 11% more than Istanbul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Plzen and Istanbul sit above the global median – Plzen by 22%, Istanbul by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.54 Kč 202

$11.20 ₺528

-14.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.28 Kč 980

$51.0 ₺2,404

-9.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 Kč 176

$7.71 ₺363

8.04%

Cappuccino

$3.02 Kč 64.0

$3.60 ₺170

-16.11%

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

$2.01 Kč 42.58

$1.29 ₺61.0

55.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 Kč 35.46

$0.49 ₺23.14

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Kč 57.7

$3.77 ₺178

-27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Kč 60.5

$5.00 ₺236

-42.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Kč 24.87

$1.11 ₺52.1

5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 Kč 33.66

$0.75 ₺35.55

112.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 Kč 51.6

$2.20 ₺104

10.91%

Eggs

$3.26 Kč 69.0

$2.70 ₺127

20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.66 Kč 268

$10.15 ₺478

24.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 Kč 190

$6.46 ₺305

39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 Kč 305

$19.78 ₺932

-27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 Kč 37.38

$1.50 ₺70.9

18.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 Kč 36.76

$2.28 ₺107

-23.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 Kč 45.81

$1.30 ₺61.2

66.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Kč 76.7

$1.63 ₺77.0

122.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 Kč 26.54

$0.71 ₺33.60

76.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Kč 25.83

$0.72 ₺34.16

69.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 Kč 32.06

$1.13 ₺53.3

33.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 Kč 17.32

$0.62 ₺28.99

32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 Kč 146

$2.18 ₺103

216.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 Kč 150

$12.99 ₺612

-45.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 Kč 23.69

$2.22 ₺105

-49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 Kč 34.39

$3.08 ₺145

-47.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 Kč 26.01

$0.72 ₺33.94

70.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.32 Kč 557

$53.5 ₺2,523

-50.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 Kč 43.82

$1.05 ₺49.31

97.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 Kč 26.71

$0.58 ₺27.33

117.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.28 Kč 302

$9.14 ₺431

56.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 Kč 35.14

$1.21 ₺56.9

37.19%

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

$28.3K Kč 600.0K

$45.2K ₺2.1M

-37.27%

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

$29.9K Kč 634.0K

$44.0K ₺2.1M

-31.96%

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

$254 Kč 5,371

$71.7 ₺3,379

253.99%

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

$25.33 Kč 536

$12.50 ₺589

102.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.43 Kč 432

$14.63 ₺690

39.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 Kč 1,336

$61.1 ₺2,879

3.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 Kč 299

$18.31 ₺863

-22.77%

Cinema Ticket

$10.38 Kč 220

$7.60 ₺358

36.58%

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

$326 Kč 6,911

$934 ₺44.0K

-65.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,778 Kč 185.8K

$18.5K ₺870.3K

-52.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 Kč 1,724

$55.4 ₺2,612

47.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.59 Kč 923

$47.26 ₺2,228

-7.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 Kč 1,923

$112 ₺5,272

-18.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 Kč 2,389

$106 ₺4,974

6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 Kč 13.7K

$946 ₺44.6K

-31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 Kč 12.8K

$608 ₺28.7K

-0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 Kč 18.7K

$1,761 ₺83.0K

-49.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 Kč 17.8K

$1,060 ₺50.0K

-20.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,107 Kč 108.1K

$3,087 ₺145.5K

65.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,091 Kč 86.6K

$1,675 ₺79.0K

144.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 Kč 40.9K

$1,174 ₺55.3K

64.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

48.43

-88.71%

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

Last update for Plzen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $645 in Plzen versus $946 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 65% higher in Plzen, 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 $46.00 in Plzen versus $51.0 in Istanbul. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Plzen vs $254 in Istanbul – so Istanbul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Plzen vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plzen is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,447 per month in Plzen and $2,200 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $326 per month in Plzen and $934 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Plzen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Plzen at $1,631. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plzen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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