Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Istanbul Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Istanbul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $996 per month in Samsun vs $1,467 in Istanbul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,500 per month in Samsun vs $2,251 in Istanbul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,004 per month in Samsun vs $3,035 in Istanbul, rent included.

Samsun is about 32% cheaper than Istanbul, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Samsun sits 25% below the global median, while Istanbul is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 ₺354

$11.20 ₺528

-32.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 ₺1,202

$51.0 ₺2,404

-50.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ₺409

$7.71 ₺363

12.58%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₺133

$3.60 ₺170

-21.67%

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

$1.29 ₺61.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₺11.21

$0.49 ₺23.14

-51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₺139

$3.77 ₺178

-22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₺142

$5.00 ₺236

-39.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₺49.72

$1.11 ₺52.1

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₺18.75

$0.75 ₺35.55

-46.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 ₺183

$2.20 ₺104

76.36%

Eggs

$1.66 ₺78.0

$2.70 ₺127

-38.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 ₺410

$10.15 ₺478

-14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 ₺479

$6.46 ₺305

57.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.86 ₺889

$19.78 ₺932

-4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 ₺60.9

$1.50 ₺70.9

-14.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 ₺54.4

$2.28 ₺107

-49.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 ₺41.31

$1.30 ₺61.2

-32.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₺61.2

$1.63 ₺77.0

-20.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺30.53

$0.71 ₺33.60

-8.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₺30.82

$0.72 ₺34.16

-9.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₺36.76

$1.13 ₺53.3

-30.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₺33.67

$0.62 ₺28.99

14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₺99.6

$2.18 ₺103

-3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₺440

$12.99 ₺612

-28.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₺96.4

$2.22 ₺105

-8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₺116

$3.08 ₺145

-20.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₺27.95

$0.72 ₺33.94

-18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.63 ₺454

$53.5 ₺2,523

-82.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 ₺108

$1.05 ₺49.31

119.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺30.21

$0.58 ₺27.33

10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 ₺209

$9.14 ₺431

-51.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₺52.4

$1.21 ₺56.9

-8.26%

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

$43.7K ₺2.1M

$45.2K ₺2.1M

-3.28%

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

$48.6K ₺2.3M

$44.0K ₺2.1M

10.41%

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

$49.85 ₺2,350

$71.7 ₺3,379

-30.45%

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

$10.88 ₺513

$12.50 ₺589

-12.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 ₺549

$14.63 ₺690

-20.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 ₺3,915

$61.1 ₺2,879

36.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 ₺863

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₺266

$7.60 ₺358

-25.79%

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

$501 ₺23.6K

$934 ₺44.0K

-46.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,757 ₺177.1K

$18.5K ₺870.3K

-79.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.41 ₺1,810

$55.4 ₺2,612

-30.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.16 ₺2,129

$47.26 ₺2,228

-4.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ₺4,154

$112 ₺5,272

-21.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.77 ₺2,110

$106 ₺4,974

-57.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₺23.5K

$946 ₺44.6K

-47.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ₺15.4K

$608 ₺28.7K

-46.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₺34.4K

$1,761 ₺83.0K

-58.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ₺24.2K

$1,060 ₺50.0K

-51.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$751 ₺35.4K

$3,087 ₺145.5K

-75.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 ₺20.3K

$1,675 ₺79.0K

-74.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ₺45.7K

$1,174 ₺55.3K

-17.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.33

48.43

-10.53%

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

Last update for Samsun: July 13, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $499 in Samsun 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 21% 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 $25.00 in Samsun versus $51.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $254 – making Samsun 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

Samsun vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,495 per month in Samsun 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 Samsun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $501 per month in Samsun 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 5% 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 Samsun, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Istanbul at $1,467. In Samsun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samsun – 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 Samsun. 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.