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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,844 per month in Plzen vs $1,538 in Istanbul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Plzen vs $2,390 in Istanbul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,254 per month in Plzen vs $3,241 in Istanbul, rent included.

Plzen costs about 20% more than Istanbul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Plzen and Istanbul sit above the global median – Plzen by 34%, Istanbul by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.94 Kč 229

$10.28 ₺497

6.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 Kč 1,115

$51.9 ₺2,508

2.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.79 Kč 204

$9.15 ₺442

6.99%

Cappuccino

$3.31 Kč 69.1

$4.20 ₺203

-21.19%

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

$2.13 Kč 44.38

$1.68 ₺81.4

26.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 Kč 38.78

$0.59 ₺28.61

215.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Kč 62.0

$4.08 ₺197

-27.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 Kč 61.3

$6.04 ₺292

-51.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Kč 25.21

$1.22 ₺59.2

-0.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 Kč 36.57

$0.94 ₺45.66

86.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 Kč 67.4

$2.37 ₺114

36.29%

Eggs

$4.32 Kč 90.3

$2.45 ₺119

76.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 Kč 305

$10.80 ₺522

35.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 Kč 218

$5.38 ₺260

94.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.04 Kč 356

$21.07 ₺1,018

-19.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Kč 48.43

$1.97 ₺95.4

17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 Kč 41.23

$2.27 ₺109

-13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Kč 50.9

$1.17 ₺56.6

108.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 Kč 76.8

$1.94 ₺93.9

89.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Kč 27.21

$0.63 ₺30.20

106.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 Kč 28.72

$0.56 ₺27.21

146.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 Kč 35.99

$1.09 ₺52.7

57.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 Kč 16.83

$0.62 ₺30.13

30.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 Kč 149

$2.34 ₺113

204.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 Kč 153

$13.70 ₺662

-46.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 Kč 30.70

$2.43 ₺117

-39.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 Kč 38.06

$3.35 ₺162

-45.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 Kč 28.83

$0.89 ₺43.01

55.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.30 Kč 612

$68.7 ₺3,318

-57.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 Kč 44.08

$1.37 ₺66.3

54.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 Kč 30.52

$0.89 ₺42.97

64.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.36 Kč 300

$10.86 ₺525

32.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Kč 39.03

$1.37 ₺66.0

36.50%

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

$32.1K Kč 670.9K

$52.1K ₺2.5M

-38.37%

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

$31.9K Kč 665.4K

$43.6K ₺2.1M

-26.98%

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

$284 Kč 5,935

$90.0 ₺4,350

215.77%

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

$18.35 Kč 383

$11.49 ₺555

59.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.39 Kč 363

$16.30 ₺788

6.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 Kč 1,331

$71.4 ₺3,452

-10.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.67 Kč 327

$23.13 ₺1,118

-32.25%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 Kč 253

$8.09 ₺391

49.81%

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

$339 Kč 7,088

$989 ₺47.8K

-65.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K Kč 229.9K

$27.6K ₺1.3M

-60.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 Kč 1,773

$53.6 ₺2,591

58.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.21 Kč 965

$40.45 ₺1,954

14.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 Kč 1,893

$101 ₺4,878

-10.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 Kč 2,446

$93.1 ₺4,500

25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 Kč 16.0K

$975 ₺47.1K

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 Kč 15.5K

$643 ₺31.0K

15.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 Kč 20.5K

$1,925 ₺93.0K

-48.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 Kč 20.0K

$1,178 ₺56.9K

-18.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,264 Kč 109.9K

$3,080 ₺148.8K

70.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,188 Kč 87.4K

$1,690 ₺81.7K

147.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,955 Kč 40.8K

$1,219 ₺58.9K

60.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

41.09

-88.54%

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

Last update for Plzen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $768 in Plzen versus $975 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 60% 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 $53.0 in Plzen versus $52.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $262 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,766 per month in Plzen and $2,307 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 $339 per month in Plzen and $989 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $1,538, than in Plzen at $1,844. 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.