Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkey and Sri Lanka Cost of Living Comparison Between Turkey and Sri Lanka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,020 per month in Turkey vs $465 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,591 per month in Turkey vs $736 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,161 per month in Turkey vs $1,007 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

The cost of living in Turkey is about 119% higher than in Sri Lanka on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Turkey and Sri Lanka are more affordable than the global median – Turkey 26% lower, Sri Lanka 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.07 ₺440
$2.92 LKR 959
210.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.10 ₺1,996
$19.61 LKR 6,442
109.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.74 ₺425
$7.72 LKR 2,538
13.21%
Cappuccino
$3.63 ₺176
$2.42 LKR 794
50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 ₺70.0
$0.66 LKR 217
118.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ₺24.19
$0.31 LKR 103
61.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.82 ₺185
$2.32 LKR 762
64.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 ₺216
$3.03 LKR 995
46.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 ₺49.48
$1.59 LKR 523
-35.85%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 ₺48.06
$0.50 LKR 164
98.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 ₺108
$0.76 LKR 249
192.11%
Eggs
$2.20 ₺107
$1.68 LKR 552
30.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.83 ₺477
$11.63 LKR 3,822
-15.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.82 ₺234
$4.31 LKR 1,415
11.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.63 ₺1,002
$6.97 LKR 2,289
195.98%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 ₺88.6
$5.77 LKR 1,897
-68.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 ₺95.5
$0.80 LKR 263
146.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.11 ₺54.1
$4.07 LKR 1,339
-72.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.34 ₺64.9
$1.21 LKR 397
10.74%
Potato (1kg)
$0.57 ₺27.79
$0.97 LKR 319
-41.24%
Onion (1kg)
$0.43 ₺20.76
$0.82 LKR 270
-47.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 ₺45.19
$0.79 LKR 260
17.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 ₺31.20
$0.46 LKR 150
39.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23 ₺108
$10.31 LKR 3,388
-78.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.94 ₺580
$12.18 LKR 4,001
-1.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.24 ₺109
$1.95 LKR 640
14.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 ₺144
$2.65 LKR 871
12.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 ₺38.89
$0.16 LKR 53.1
400.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.38 ₺2,009
$6.16 LKR 2,024
571.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.52 ₺74.0
$0.44 LKR 145
245.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺41.26
$0.35 LKR 116
142.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.97 ₺387
$0.93 LKR 307
756.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ₺64.8
$1.21 LKR 397
9.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.7K ₺2.1M
$30.6K LKR 10.1M
42.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.1K ₺2.0M
$39.8K LKR 13.1M
5.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$75.9 ₺3,684
$48.47 LKR 15.9K
56.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.31 ₺500
$4.20 LKR 1,380
145.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.65 ₺760
$16.40 LKR 5,389
-4.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.3 ₺2,635
$13.28 LKR 4,365
308.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.33 ₺987
$6.27 LKR 2,061
224.24%
Cinema Ticket
$7.41 ₺360
$3.60 LKR 1,182
105.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$680 ₺33.0K
$35.76 LKR 11.8K
1802.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ₺769.5K
$579 LKR 190.4K
2635.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 ₺2,562
$20.60 LKR 6,769
156.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.65 ₺2,119
$15.48 LKR 5,088
181.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ₺4,885
$72.7 LKR 23.9K
38.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.7 ₺4,453
$38.50 LKR 12.7K
138.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$587 ₺28.5K
$299 LKR 98.4K
96.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$421 ₺20.4K
$138 LKR 45.4K
204.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 ₺49.1K
$787 LKR 258.5K
28.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$699 ₺33.9K
$226 LKR 74.4K
208.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,753 ₺85.1K
$3,647 LKR 1.2M
-51.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,103 ₺53.6K
$1,115 LKR 366.3K
-1.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,100 ₺53.4K
$215 LKR 70.7K
411.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
41.91
13.46
211.37%

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

Last update for Turkey: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sri Lanka: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $458 in Turkey vs $57.0 in Sri Lanka. For reference, capital cities sit at $749 in Ankara and $299 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Average salary: $1,058 in Turkey vs $204 in Sri Lanka. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 704% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 71% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 2600% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 419% higher in Turkey, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Turkey.

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
Turkey vs Sri Lanka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Sri Lanka and Turkey compare in cost of living?
Sri Lanka is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 207% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Sri Lanka and Turkey?
Housing costs more in Turkey, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Turkey consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Sri Lanka or Turkey?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sri Lanka, contributing to the overall 207% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $1,200 go in Sri Lanka compared to Turkey?
$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sri Lanka, but in Turkey it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Sri Lanka and in Turkey?
Sri Lanka is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Turkey vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries