Cost of Living Comparison Between Side and Izmir Cost of Living Comparison Between Side and Izmir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Side versus $1,230 in Izmir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Side versus $1,900 in Izmir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,242 in Side versus $2,569 in Izmir.

Living in Side costs roughly 13% less than in Izmir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Side 20% lower, Izmir 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 ₺361

$7.89 ₺364

-0.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.27 ₺1,073

$38.63 ₺1,781

-39.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 ₺284

$7.84 ₺361

-21.30%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₺127

$3.25 ₺150

-15.38%

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

$1.76 ₺80.9

$1.42 ₺65.7

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.65

$0.55 ₺25.38

-14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 ₺142

$3.92 ₺181

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 ₺189

$5.00 ₺230

-17.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 ₺41.22

$1.04 ₺48.01

-14.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₺42.69

$0.90 ₺41.50

3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₺42.84

$2.62 ₺121

-64.50%

Eggs

$1.77 ₺81.4

$2.51 ₺116

-29.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 ₺372

$11.81 ₺545

-31.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ₺246

$6.79 ₺313

-21.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.56 ₺763

$21.93 ₺1,011

-24.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ₺46.16

$1.45 ₺66.7

-31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₺95.3

$2.80 ₺129

-26.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.70

$1.52 ₺69.9

-51.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₺53.5

$1.96 ₺90.2

-40.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₺25.51

$0.85 ₺39.24

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₺19.44

$0.71 ₺32.75

-40.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ₺58.3

$0.94 ₺43.51

34.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₺15.88

$0.64 ₺29.55

-46.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺99.1

$2.32 ₺107

-7.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.15 ₺606

$10.74 ₺495

22.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₺79.0

$2.11 ₺97.2

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₺94.8

$3.25 ₺150

-36.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ₺28.76

$0.65 ₺30.00

-4.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.78 ₺1,419

$31.89 ₺1,470

-3.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.39

$2.99 ₺138

-64.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₺30.33

$0.62 ₺28.48

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₺360

$4.99 ₺230

56.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₺54.1

$1.19 ₺54.8

-1.68%

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

$40.9K ₺1.9M

$43.4K ₺2.0M

-5.70%

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

$41.4K ₺1.9M

$45.5K ₺2.1M

-8.89%

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

$48.53 ₺2,238

$101 ₺4,635

-51.72%

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

$7.95 ₺366

$11.20 ₺516

-29.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.34 ₺292

$13.18 ₺608

-51.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.32 ₺1,997

$48.17 ₺2,221

-10.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.91 ₺826

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 ₺297

$7.47 ₺344

-13.79%

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

$607 ₺28.0K

$440 ₺20.3K

37.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,932 ₺411.8K

$12.5K ₺576.0K

-28.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.1 ₺3,509

$51.3 ₺2,364

48.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.64 ₺2,058

$35.60 ₺1,641

25.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 ₺7,292

$92.0 ₺4,243

71.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₺5,189

$114 ₺5,254

-1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 ₺24.0K

$656 ₺30.3K

-20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₺18.5K

$459 ₺21.2K

-12.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 ₺40.3K

$1,079 ₺49.7K

-18.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₺32.1K

$759 ₺35.0K

-8.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,388 ₺64.0K

$1,600 ₺73.8K

-13.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,040 ₺47.9K

$1,056 ₺48.7K

-1.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,113 ₺51.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.1

-48.85%

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

Last update for Side: June 8, 2026

Last update for Izmir: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $522 in Side and $656 in Izmir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Side vs $39.00 in Izmir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $269 per month, with Side cheaper across the board.

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

Side vs Izmir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Side wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Izmir. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Side the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,611 in Side and $1,845 in Izmir to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $522 in Side versus $656 in Izmir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,074 per month in Side versus $1,230 in Izmir – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Side runs roughly 4% less than in Izmir. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,074 in Side versus $1,230 in Izmir, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Side but tight or insufficient in Izmir. The gap between the two cities makes Side the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Side delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,074 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Side hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Side and Izmir are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Side gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.