Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Turda and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Turda: $1,077 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Turda
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Turda Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Turda

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,077

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,077 per month in Turda vs $1,519 in Istanbul, rent included.

Turda $1,077
Istanbul $1,519

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Turda vs $2,365 in Istanbul, rent included.

Turda $1,596
Istanbul $2,365

A family of three spends $2,115 per month in Turda vs $3,212 in Istanbul, rent included.

Turda $2,115
Istanbul $3,212

Turda is about 29% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Turda sits 20% below the global median, while Istanbul is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 RON 58.4

$11.81 ₺592

4.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.07 RON 157

$54.9 ₺2,754

-39.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 RON 40.35

$9.26 ₺465

-8.32%

Cappuccino

$2.74 RON 13.02

$4.30 ₺216

-36.28%

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

$1.79 RON 8.52

$1.77 ₺89.0

1.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 RON 6.40

$0.56 ₺28.32

141.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 RON 10.25

$4.69 ₺235

-53.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RON 9.68

$7.12 ₺357

-71.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.55

$1.25 ₺62.7

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.85

$0.88 ₺44.17

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.52

$2.20 ₺111

-18.64%

Eggs

$2.96 RON 14.06

$2.43 ₺122

21.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 RON 30.44

$10.48 ₺526

-38.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RON 34.00

$5.31 ₺267

34.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.77 RON 55.9

$21.10 ₺1,058

-44.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.50

$1.86 ₺93.1

-37.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.30

$2.30 ₺115

-33.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.33

$1.22 ₺61.0

9.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 RON 11.15

$1.80 ₺90.2

30.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.57

$0.69 ₺34.83

39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.44

$0.64 ₺32.16

45.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.29

$1.36 ₺68.0

-33.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.90

$0.58 ₺28.94

77.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.33 RON 25.33

$2.34 ₺117

127.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 RON 35.74

$13.03 ₺653

-42.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.96

$2.36 ₺118

-47.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 RON 7.89

$3.32 ₺166

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 RON 5.89

$0.88 ₺44.07

40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.00 RON 105

$66.1 ₺3,316

-66.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.18

$1.28 ₺64.4

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 4.13

$0.85 ₺42.80

2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 RON 40.66

$11.09 ₺556

-22.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 RON 8.59

$1.48 ₺74.0

22.30%

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

$28.7K RON 136.5K

$48.6K ₺2.4M

-40.93%

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

$24.7K RON 117.3K

$42.0K ₺2.1M

-41.18%

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

$151 RON 720

$92.7 ₺4,650

63.35%

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

$8.52 RON 40.46

$11.20 ₺562

-23.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.39 RON 44.61

$15.89 ₺797

-40.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 RON 179

$74.7 ₺3,745

-49.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 RON 88.4

$22.95 ₺1,151

-18.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 RON 44.13

$8.05 ₺404

15.40%

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

$578 RON 2,747

$948 ₺47.6K

-39.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,191 RON 29.4K

$36.9K ₺1.9M

-83.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.63 RON 203

$53.9 ₺2,702

-20.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.08 RON 200

$41.49 ₺2,081

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 RON 466

$101 ₺5,060

-2.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 RON 504

$91.3 ₺4,580

16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 RON 1,911

$1,014 ₺50.8K

-60.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 RON 1,376

$625 ₺31.3K

-53.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,848

$2,005 ₺100.6K

-70.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 RON 1,955

$1,126 ₺56.5K

-63.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,819 RON 8,643

$2,988 ₺149.8K

-39.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 RON 6,038

$1,730 ₺86.8K

-26.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$727 RON 3,456

$1,136 ₺57.0K

-35.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

40.42

-83.55%

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

Last update for Turda: November 2, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Turda

$290 26.9%

Istanbul

$625 41.1% 116% $335

Groceries & Markets

Turda

$215 20%

Istanbul

$258 17% 20.2% $43

Eating Out

Turda

$184 17.1%

Istanbul

$221 14.6% 20% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Turda

$169 15.7%

Istanbul

$120 7.9% 29.3% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Turda

$130 12.1%

Istanbul

$129 8.5% 0.5% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Turda

$56 5.2%

Istanbul

$91 6% 61.1% $34

Getting Around

Turda

$32 3%

Istanbul

$75 5% 134% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Turda versus $1,014 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 56% higher in Istanbul. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Turda versus $55 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $258 – making Turda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Turda

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

04:39 4:39 AM

05:39 5:39 AM

1 h ahead of Turda

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

47,744

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.21 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.33 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.3 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

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Between locations

Turda Istanbul 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Turda
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

Turda vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 41%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,615 per month in Turda and $2,278 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Turda, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $402 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

Kindergarten costs $578 per month in Turda and $948 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Istanbul, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Turda, where all-in costs run around $1,077, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Turda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Turda – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Turda. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.