Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sète and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,778 in Sète, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Sète
🇫🇷 France
$1,778
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,778 per month in Sète vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Sète $1,778
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $2,704 per month in Sète vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Sète $2,704
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $3,631 per month in Sète vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Sète $3,631
  • Istanbul $3,281

Sète costs about 15% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sète and Istanbul sit above the global median – Sète by 32%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.19
$12.30 ₺609
38.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.8 €50.6
$54.7 ₺2,708
3.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.51 €12.04
$9.22 ₺456
46.53%
Cappuccino
$3.44 €3.07
$4.40 ₺218
-21.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 €2.11
$1.68 ₺83.1
41.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 €1.42
$0.59 ₺29.40
169.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.68 €5.07
$4.70 ₺233
20.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49 €4.01
$5.91 ₺293
-24.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 €1.19
$1.21 ₺60.0
9.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.69 €1.51
$0.89 ₺44.10
89.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 €2.13
$2.19 ₺108
9.13%
Eggs
$3.75 €3.35
$2.35 ₺116
59.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.65 €16.63
$10.42 ₺516
78.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.09 €9.89
$5.65 ₺280
96.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.33 €16.34
$20.94 ₺1,037
-12.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 €2.35
$1.90 ₺94.1
38.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$2.31 ₺114
-2.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.81 €2.51
$1.28 ₺63.2
119.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.44 €2.18
$1.80 ₺89.0
35.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 €2.16
$0.65 ₺32.17
272.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 €2.07
$0.64 ₺31.92
262.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.25 ₺62.1
9.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 €0.54
$0.56 ₺27.59
7.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.75 €12.26
$2.37 ₺118
480.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.42 €6.61
$13.42 ₺664
-44.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.69 €3.29
$2.40 ₺119
53.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 €2.53
$3.48 ₺172
-18.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.88 €1.67
$0.89 ₺43.84
111.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.8 €48.89
$67.4 ₺3,339
-18.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 €2.72
$1.29 ₺64.1
136.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 €1.52
$0.92 ₺45.70
84.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.66 €27.33
$10.96 ₺543
179.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 €1.88
$1.47 ₺72.9
43.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K €31.0K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-31.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K €30.8K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-22.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$224 €200
$88.6 ₺4,388
152.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.52 €12.95
$11.59 ₺574
25.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.39 €27.99
$15.81 ₺783
98.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.67 €28.24
$77.2 ₺3,821
-58.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.82 €12.32
$8.14 ₺403
69.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$599 €534
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-40.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,165 €6,389
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-71.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.8 €76.5
$54.0 ₺2,671
59.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.95 €38.29
$40.83 ₺2,021
5.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.8 €82.8
$98.9 ₺4,896
-6.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €117
$96.6 ₺4,783
36.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$748 €667
$985 ₺48.7K
-24.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$610 €544
$650 ₺32.2K
-6.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,367 €1,218
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-31.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 €992
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-5.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,162 €3,711
$3,138 ₺155.4K
32.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,211 €2,863
$1,780 ₺88.1K
80.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sète
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.81
40.92
-90.69%

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

Last update for Sète: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sète
$610
Istanbul
$650 6.6% $40
Groceries & Markets
Sète
$335
Istanbul
$260 22.5% $75
Eating Out
Sète
$271
Istanbul
$223 17.7% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sète
$270
Istanbul
$116 57% $154
Clothing & Footwear
Sète
$159
Istanbul
$131 17.9% $28
Getting Around
Sète
$74
Istanbul
$77 4% $3
Sport & Entertainment
Sète
$59
Istanbul
$93 57.5% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $748 in Sète 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Sète versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Sète
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
03:40 3:40 AM
04:40 4:40 AM
1 h ahead of Sète
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
44,712
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.51 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sète Istanbul 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sète
  • 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
Sète vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Sète?
Yes – Sète is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,667 per month in Sète and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $599 per month in Sète and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Sète and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Sète, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sète or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Sète at $1,778. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sète it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sète or Istanbul more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Sète or Istanbul?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sète makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Sète vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?