Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Qusar and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Qusar: $741 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Qusar
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Qusar Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Qusar

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan

$741

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $741 per month in Qusar vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Qusar $741
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,110 per month in Qusar vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Qusar $1,110
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,480 per month in Qusar vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Qusar $1,480
Istanbul $3,281

Qusar is about 52% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Qusar sits 45% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 ₼13.34

$12.30 ₺607

-36.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.93 ₼30.48

$54.7 ₺2,700

-67.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 ₼14.03

$9.22 ₺455

-10.52%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ₼2.92

$4.40 ₺217

-60.91%

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

$0.68 ₼1.16

$1.68 ₺82.8

-59.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₼0.42

$0.59 ₺29.31

-57.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ₼2.56

$4.70 ₺232

-67.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₼3.05

$5.91 ₺292

-69.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 ₼1.52

$1.21 ₺59.8

-25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ₼0.52

$0.89 ₺43.97

-66.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 ₼2.46

$2.19 ₺108

-33.79%

Eggs

$1.11 ₼1.88

$2.35 ₺116

-52.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.70 ₼6.28

$10.42 ₺514

-64.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ₼5.46

$5.65 ₺279

-43.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.94 ₼11.80

$20.94 ₺1,033

-66.86%

Apples (1kg)

$0.45 ₼0.77

$1.90 ₺93.8

-76.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₼2.55

$2.31 ₺114

-35.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 ₼2.06

$1.28 ₺63.0

-5.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ₼3.04

$1.80 ₺88.7

-0.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.23 ₼0.39

$0.65 ₺32.07

-64.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₼1.02

$0.64 ₺31.82

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.19 ₼0.32

$1.25 ₺61.9

-84.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₼0.57

$0.56 ₺27.50

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₼4.92

$2.37 ₺117

22.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 ₼15.38

$13.42 ₺662

-32.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₼2.54

$2.40 ₺119

-37.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₼4.79

$3.48 ₺172

-18.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₼0.43

$0.89 ₺43.70

-71.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 ₼20.36

$67.4 ₺3,328

-82.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ₼1.97

$1.29 ₺63.9

-10.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₼1.04

$0.92 ₺45.56

-33.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₼4.02

$10.96 ₺541

-78.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 ₼1.03

$1.47 ₺72.7

-58.50%

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

$19.3K ₼32.8K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-61.97%

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

$20.6K ₼35.0K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-53.74%

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

$46.69 ₼79.4

$88.6 ₺4,374

-47.31%

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

$11.28 ₼19.16

$11.59 ₺572

-2.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.72 ₼19.93

$15.81 ₺781

-25.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.91 ₼33.84

$77.2 ₺3,809

-74.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.97 ₼20.35

$22.74 ₺1,122

-47.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ₼10.28

$8.14 ₺402

-25.68%

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

$69.3 ₼118

$1,008 ₺49.8K

-93.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,507 ₼5,959

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-86.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.66 ₼70.8

$54.0 ₺2,663

-22.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 ₼70.9

$40.83 ₺2,015

2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 ₼178

$98.9 ₺4,881

5.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 ₼118

$96.6 ₺4,768

-28.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 ₼573

$985 ₺48.6K

-65.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₼425

$650 ₺32.1K

-61.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₼835

$1,983 ₺97.9K

-75.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₼670

$1,180 ₺58.2K

-66.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,403 ₼2,384

$3,138 ₺154.9K

-55.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,215 ₼2,066

$1,780 ₺87.9K

-31.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 ₼719

$1,205 ₺59.5K

-64.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.85

40.92

-80.82%

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

Last update for Qusar: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Qusar

$250 33.8%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 160% $399

Groceries & Markets

Qusar

$133 18%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 95% $127

Eating Out

Qusar

$123 16.6%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 81.5% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Qusar

$116 15.6%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 12.8% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Qusar

$70 9.4%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 66.5% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Qusar

$32 4.3%

Istanbul

$93 6% 192% $61

Getting Around

Qusar

$17 2.3%

Istanbul

$77 5% 347% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Qusar 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 185% 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 $18.00 in Qusar versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $133 vs $260 – making Qusar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇦🇿 Qusar

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

05:08 5:08 AM

04:08 4:08 AM

1 h behind Qusar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,600

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Azerbaijani Manat AZN ₼

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 AZN = 0.588 USD

1 AZN = 0.526 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to AZN – Azerbaijani Manat Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇿 Azerbaijani Manat (₼)

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.9 AZN (1 AZN = 0.526 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 49.36 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.24 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

USD to AZN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Qusar Istanbul 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Qusar
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

Qusar vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 109%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,112 per month in Qusar 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 Qusar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $69.3 per month in Qusar 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 95% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Qusar, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Qusar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qusar – 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 Qusar. 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.