Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Leu and Istanbul

For one person, living costs are similar in Saint-Leu and in Istanbul: $1,502 and $1,525 a month, rent and utilities included.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Saint-Leu

🇷🇪 Reunion

$1,502

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,502 per month in Saint-Leu vs $1,525 in Istanbul, rent included.

Saint-Leu $1,502
Istanbul $1,525

A couple spends around $2,357 per month in Saint-Leu vs $2,390 in Istanbul, rent included.

Saint-Leu $2,357
Istanbul $2,390

A family of three spends $3,213 per month in Saint-Leu vs $3,256 in Istanbul, rent included.

Saint-Leu $3,213
Istanbul $3,256

Saint-Leu is about 1% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Saint-Leu and Istanbul sit above the global median – Saint-Leu by 11%, Istanbul by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.24 €25.12

$11.96 ₺592

136.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 €79.3

$57.2 ₺2,834

55.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.52

$4.40 ₺218

-35.68%

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.98

$0.56 ₺27.57

96.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 €7.01

$4.71 ₺233

67.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 €4.95

$6.14 ₺304

-9.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 €0.98

$1.24 ₺61.6

-11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 €1.12

$0.95 ₺47.25

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 €1.93

$2.28 ₺113

-4.82%

Eggs

$4.62 €4.11

$2.45 ₺121

88.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 €19.60

$10.56 ₺523

108.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 €3.00

$1.83 ₺90.6

84.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.47

$2.29 ₺113

-27.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 €2.02

$1.28 ₺63.4

77.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 €3.02

$1.82 ₺90.1

86.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 €2.00

$0.66 ₺32.74

240.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 €1.94

$0.63 ₺31.14

246.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.72

$0.56 ₺27.62

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 €13.13

$2.36 ₺117

525.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 €4.95

$12.98 ₺642

-57.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.46

$2.48 ₺123

-33.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 €1.66

$1.43 ₺70.7

30.77%

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

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

$94.6 €84.1

$88.8 ₺4,395

6.57%

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

$9.89 €8.80

$11.69 ₺579

-15.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.06 €30.30

$16.09 ₺797

111.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.81 €30.08

$76.3 ₺3,776

-55.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 €8.91

$8.26 ₺409

21.19%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 €1,014

$977 ₺48.4K

16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 €698

$627 ₺31.0K

25.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 €1,762

$1,980 ₺98.0K

0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 €1,204

$1,147 ₺56.8K

17.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,039 €1,814

$1,213 ₺60.1K

68.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

-90.17%

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

Last update for Saint-Leu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint-Leu

–

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Groceries & Markets

Saint-Leu

–

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Eating Out

Saint-Leu

–

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Saint-Leu

–

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint-Leu

–

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Saint-Leu

–

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Getting Around

Saint-Leu

–

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,140 in Saint-Leu versus $977 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 68% higher in Saint-Leu, 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 $89.0 in Saint-Leu versus $57.0 in Istanbul. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Saint-Leu vs $263 in Istanbul – so Saint-Leu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇷🇪 Saint-Leu

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

09:18 9:18 AM

08:18 8:18 AM

1 h behind Saint-Leu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,893

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Saint-Leu Istanbul 7,430 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Saint-Leu
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

Saint-Leu vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 2%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,253 per month in Saint-Leu and $2,287 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint-Leu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Saint-Leu and $57.0 in Istanbul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Leu, where all-in costs run around $1,502, than in Istanbul at $1,525. In Saint-Leu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint-Leu – 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 Saint-Leu. 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.