Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tournai and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,130 in Tournai, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tournai
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,130
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,130 per month in Tournai vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Tournai $2,130
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $3,113 per month in Tournai vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Tournai $3,113
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $4,095 per month in Tournai vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Tournai $4,095
  • Istanbul $3,281

Tournai costs about 37% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tournai and Istanbul sit above the global median – Tournai by 58%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.96 €19.53
$12.30 ₺609
78.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$105 €93.7
$54.7 ₺2,708
92.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.57 €12.07
$9.22 ₺456
47.18%
Cappuccino
$4.33 €3.85
$4.40 ₺218
-1.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 €3.14
$1.68 ₺83.1
110.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 €3.08
$0.59 ₺29.40
486.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.60 €4.98
$4.70 ₺233
19.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.11 €5.44
$5.91 ₺292
3.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.21 ₺60.0
12.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 €2.45
$0.89 ₺44.10
208.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.19 ₺108
2.74%
Eggs
$3.75 €3.34
$2.35 ₺116
59.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.37 €15.45
$10.42 ₺516
66.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.76 €10.46
$5.65 ₺280
108.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.70 €21.08
$20.94 ₺1,037
13.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.00 €2.67
$1.90 ₺94.1
57.89%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 €2.09
$2.31 ₺114
1.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.67 €2.38
$1.28 ₺63.1
108.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$1.80 ₺89.0
81.11%
Potato (1kg)
$2.47 €2.20
$0.65 ₺32.16
280.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.67
$0.64 ₺31.91
193.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.30
$1.25 ₺62.1
16.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 €0.94
$0.56 ₺27.58
87.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.76 €11.35
$2.37 ₺118
438.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.81 €7.84
$13.42 ₺664
-34.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$2.40 ₺119
-27.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 €1.81
$3.48 ₺172
-41.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.99 €2.66
$0.89 ₺43.84
235.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$67.4 ₺3,338
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.50 €4.89
$1.29 ₺64.1
326.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.69 €2.39
$0.92 ₺45.70
192.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.51 €22.69
$10.96 ₺542
132.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.47 ₺72.9
44.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K €31.5K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-30.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K €30.4K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-23.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €183
$88.6 ₺4,387
131.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.38 €19.02
$11.59 ₺574
84.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.05 €42.74
$15.81 ₺783
203.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.19 €32.19
$77.2 ₺3,820
-53.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.00 €16.01
$22.74 ₺1,126
-20.84%
Cinema Ticket
$15.12 €13.45
$8.14 ₺403
85.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,640 €1,459
$1,008 ₺49.9K
62.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.8K €29.1K
$25.6K ₺1.3M
28.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 €98.9
$54.0 ₺2,671
106.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.7 €46.83
$40.83 ₺2,021
28.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 €89.9
$98.9 ₺4,895
2.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$164 €146
$96.6 ₺4,783
69.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 €739
$985 ₺48.7K
-15.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$865 €770
$650 ₺32.2K
33.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,566 €1,393
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-21.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,088 €967
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-7.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,956 €3,519
$3,138 ₺155.4K
26.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,272 €2,911
$1,780 ₺88.1K
83.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tournai
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.46
40.92
-91.54%

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

Last update for Tournai: 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
Tournai
$865
Istanbul
$650 24.9% $215
Groceries & Markets
Tournai
$363
Istanbul
$260 28.5% $104
Eating Out
Tournai
$337
Istanbul
$223 33.7% $113
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tournai
$275
Istanbul
$116 57.8% $159
Clothing & Footwear
Tournai
$193
Istanbul
$131 32.3% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Tournai
$66
Istanbul
$93 40.7% $27
Getting Around
Tournai
$31 *
Istanbul
$77 149% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Tournai 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 $105 in Tournai versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Tournai
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
09:24 9:24 AM
10:24 10:24 AM
1 h ahead of Tournai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
69,842
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tournai Istanbul 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tournai
  • 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
Tournai vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Tournai?
Yes – Tournai is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,195 per month in Tournai 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.
Is eating out cheaper in Tournai or in Istanbul?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $105 in Tournai and $55.0 in Istanbul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Tournai and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 40% more in Tournai, 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 Tournai or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Tournai at $2,130. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tournai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tournai 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, Tournai 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, Tournai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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