Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Roskilde and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,530 in Roskilde, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Roskilde
Learn more

Roskilde Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Roskilde

🇩🇰 Denmark

$2,530

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,530 per month in Roskilde vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Roskilde $2,530
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $3,882 per month in Roskilde vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Roskilde $3,882
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $5,233 per month in Roskilde vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Roskilde $5,233
Istanbul $3,281

Roskilde costs about 63% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Roskilde and Istanbul sit above the global median – Roskilde by 87%, Istanbul by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.05 DKK 120

$12.30 ₺609

46.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 DKK 742

$54.7 ₺2,708

104.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.03 DKK 100.0

$9.22 ₺456

63.02%

Cappuccino

$6.93 DKK 46.06

$4.40 ₺218

57.50%

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

$4.07 DKK 27.04

$1.68 ₺83.1

142.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 DKK 22.15

$0.59 ₺29.40

464.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 DKK 54.3

$4.70 ₺233

73.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.38 DKK 55.7

$5.91 ₺292

41.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 DKK 13.55

$1.21 ₺60.0

68.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 DKK 25.03

$0.89 ₺44.10

322.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 DKK 15.95

$2.19 ₺108

9.59%

Eggs

$4.89 DKK 32.53

$2.35 ₺116

108.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.12 DKK 93.9

$10.42 ₺516

35.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.50 DKK 76.5

$5.65 ₺280

103.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 DKK 119

$20.94 ₺1,037

-14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 DKK 17.62

$1.90 ₺94.1

39.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 DKK 18.46

$2.31 ₺114

20.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 DKK 13.79

$1.28 ₺63.1

61.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 DKK 26.64

$1.80 ₺89.0

122.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 DKK 11.61

$0.65 ₺32.16

169.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 DKK 9.18

$0.64 ₺31.91

115.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 DKK 9.66

$1.25 ₺62.1

16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 DKK 4.25

$0.56 ₺27.58

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.70 DKK 57.9

$2.37 ₺118

267.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 DKK 50.2

$13.42 ₺664

-43.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 DKK 13.22

$2.40 ₺119

-17.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 DKK 17.82

$3.48 ₺172

-22.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.9 DKK 505

$67.4 ₺3,338

12.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 DKK 37.94

$1.29 ₺64.1

341.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 DKK 11.19

$0.92 ₺45.70

82.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 DKK 412

$10.96 ₺542

464.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 DKK 15.09

$1.47 ₺72.9

54.42%

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

$49.5K DKK 329.0K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-2.59%

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

$52.7K DKK 350.6K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

18.38%

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

$216 DKK 1,436

$88.6 ₺4,387

143.60%

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

$15.77 DKK 105

$11.59 ₺574

36.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.29 DKK 288

$15.81 ₺783

173.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 DKK 402

$77.2 ₺3,820

-21.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 DKK 108

$8.14 ₺403

99.26%

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

$374 DKK 2,488

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-62.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,075 DKK 40.4K

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-76.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 DKK 704

$54.0 ₺2,671

96.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.94 DKK 306

$40.83 ₺2,021

12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 DKK 1,004

$98.9 ₺4,895

52.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 DKK 1,243

$96.6 ₺4,783

93.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 DKK 8,513

$985 ₺48.7K

30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 DKK 7,590

$650 ₺32.2K

75.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,560 DKK 17.0K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

29.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 DKK 13.2K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

68.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,477 DKK 43.1K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

106.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,960 DKK 39.6K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

234.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,095 DKK 27.2K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

239.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.67

40.92

-91.03%

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

Last update for Roskilde: 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

Roskilde

$1.1K 45.1%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 43.1% $491

Eating Out

Roskilde

$360 14.2%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 37.9% $136

Groceries & Markets

Roskilde

$351 13.9%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 26% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Roskilde

$275 10.9%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 57.8% $159

Clothing & Footwear

Roskilde

$220 8.7%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 40.7% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Roskilde

$93 3.7%

Istanbul

$93 6% 0.6% $0.6

Getting Around

Roskilde

$90 * 3.6%

Istanbul

$77 5% 14.6% $13

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,280 in Roskilde 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 240% higher in Roskilde, 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 $112 in Roskilde versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇩🇰 Roskilde

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

03:41 3:41 AM

04:41 4:41 AM

1 h ahead of Roskilde

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

50,781

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Danish Krone DKK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 DKK = 0.15 USD

1 DKK = 0.134 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to DKK – Danish Krone Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇩🇰 Danish Krone (kr)

Danish Krone exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 DKK (1 DKK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.48 DKK (1 DKK = 0.134 EUR).

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).

USD to DKK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Roskilde Istanbul 2,040 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Roskilde
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

Roskilde vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Roskilde is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,795 per month in Roskilde 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 Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $374 per month in Roskilde 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 35% more in Roskilde, 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 $1,550, than in Roskilde at $2,530. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roskilde 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, Roskilde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.