Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Samsun: $950 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Samsun
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Samsun Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Samsun

🇹🇷 Turkey

$950

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $950 per month in Samsun vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Samsun $950
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,647 per month in Samsun vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Samsun $1,647
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $2,344 per month in Samsun vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Samsun $2,344
Istanbul $3,281

Samsun is about 39% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Samsun sits 30% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ₺503

$12.30 ₺609

-17.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 ₺3,001

$54.7 ₺2,708

10.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 ₺522

$9.22 ₺456

14.32%

Cappuccino

$3.94 ₺195

$4.40 ₺218

-10.45%

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

$0.79 ₺39.25

$1.68 ₺83.1

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₺14.32

$0.59 ₺29.40

-50.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 ₺87.8

$4.70 ₺233

-62.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₺101

$5.91 ₺292

-65.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 ₺58.2

$1.21 ₺60.0

-2.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 ₺99.2

$0.89 ₺44.10

124.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 ₺132

$2.19 ₺108

21.92%

Eggs

$2.48 ₺123

$2.35 ₺116

5.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.50 ₺421

$10.42 ₺516

-18.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.52 ₺1,313

$20.94 ₺1,037

26.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 ₺116

$1.90 ₺94.1

22.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 ₺122

$2.31 ₺114

6.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ₺75.8

$1.28 ₺63.1

19.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₺51.6

$1.80 ₺89.0

-42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 ₺21.59

$0.65 ₺32.16

-32.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₺17.89

$0.64 ₺31.91

-43.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 ₺41.25

$1.25 ₺62.1

-33.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺33.65

$0.56 ₺27.58

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₺105

$2.37 ₺118

-10.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 ₺455

$13.42 ₺664

-31.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₺82.0

$2.40 ₺119

-30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₺111

$3.48 ₺172

-35.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ₺30.48

$0.89 ₺43.84

-30.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.22 ₺605

$67.4 ₺3,338

-81.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ₺98.3

$1.29 ₺64.1

54.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₺30.92

$0.92 ₺45.70

-32.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 ₺314

$10.96 ₺542

-42.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₺65.8

$1.47 ₺72.9

-9.52%

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

$41.6K ₺2.1M

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-18.04%

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

$40.6K ₺2.0M

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-8.72%

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

$88.1 ₺4,360

$88.6 ₺4,387

-0.61%

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

$12.35 ₺612

$11.59 ₺574

6.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.44 ₺616

$15.81 ₺783

-21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.40 ₺1,505

$77.2 ₺3,820

-60.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 ₺294

$22.74 ₺1,126

-73.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 ₺204

$8.14 ₺403

-49.26%

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

$252 ₺12.5K

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-74.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.48 ₺1,212

$54.0 ₺2,671

-54.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.45 ₺1,507

$40.83 ₺2,021

-25.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ₺3,569

$98.9 ₺4,895

-27.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 ₺2,999

$96.6 ₺4,783

-37.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₺17.3K

$985 ₺48.7K

-64.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₺12.3K

$650 ₺32.2K

-61.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₺37.4K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-61.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 ₺30.4K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-48.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$976 ₺48.3K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-68.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 ₺32.5K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-63.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$918 ₺45.5K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-23.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

19.75%

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

Last update for Samsun: October 13, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Samsun

$268 28.3%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 3.2% $8.5

Accommodation & Living

Samsun

$248 26.2%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 162% $401

Eating Out

Samsun

$177 18.7%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 25.9% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Samsun

$113 11.9%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 2.8% $3.2

Clothing & Footwear

Samsun

$84 8.9%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 54.7% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Samsun

$39 4.1%

Istanbul

$93 6% 142% $55

Getting Around

Samsun

$20 2.1%

Istanbul

$77 5% 289% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $349 in Samsun 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 31% 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 $61.0 in Samsun versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Samsun

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

09:09 9:09 AM

Same time as Samsun

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,295,927

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Samsun Istanbul 620 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Samsun
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

Samsun vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,425 per month in Samsun 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 Samsun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $252 per month in Samsun and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Istanbul – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Samsun, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Istanbul at $1,550. 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.