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 $1,081 per month in Turkey vs $485 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,676 per month in Turkey vs $780 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,271 per month in Turkey vs $1,075 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

Turkey costs about 123% more than 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 19% lower, Sri Lanka 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.92 ₺410
$3.37 LKR 1,117
164.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.84 ₺1,784
$23.64 LKR 7,839
64.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.80 ₺358
$6.89 LKR 2,285
13.21%
Cappuccino
$3.18 ₺146
$2.67 LKR 886
19.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 ₺58.1
$0.73 LKR 243
72.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₺22.59
$0.39 LKR 131
25.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.63 ₺167
$2.32 LKR 769
56.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 ₺214
$3.31 LKR 1,098
40.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 ₺45.66
$1.66 LKR 549
-40.36%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 ₺36.44
$0.54 LKR 179
46.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.13 ₺97.7
$0.79 LKR 263
169.62%
Eggs
$2.32 ₺107
$2.18 LKR 723
6.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.78 ₺449
$12.92 LKR 4,285
-24.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.70 ₺262
$4.98 LKR 1,653
14.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.78 ₺909
$7.81 LKR 2,589
153.27%
Apples (1kg)
$1.34 ₺61.6
$7.26 LKR 2,407
-81.54%
Banana (1kg)
$2.19 ₺101
$1.01 LKR 335
116.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.18 ₺54.3
$5.74 LKR 1,905
-79.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.46 ₺67.1
$1.34 LKR 443
8.96%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 ₺34.86
$1.09 LKR 360
-30.28%
Onion (1kg)
$0.61 ₺28.15
$1.17 LKR 387
-47.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 ₺45.86
$1.17 LKR 387
-14.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ₺23.31
$0.54 LKR 180
-5.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.21 ₺101
$10.00 LKR 3,316
-77.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.87 ₺499
$11.92 LKR 3,953
-8.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.15 ₺98.6
$2.07 LKR 687
3.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ₺130
$2.91 LKR 966
-3.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 ₺32.26
$0.22 LKR 72.8
218.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.97 ₺2,066
$4.89 LKR 1,621
819.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ₺48.55
$0.41 LKR 136
158.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.66 ₺30.23
$0.36 LKR 118
83.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.61 ₺349
$0.51 LKR 169
1392.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 ₺54.5
$1.31 LKR 433
-9.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.2K ₺2.0M
$26.7K LKR 8.8M
61.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.4K ₺2.0M
$38.7K LKR 12.8M
12.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.3 ₺3,185
$46.85 LKR 15.5K
47.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.88 ₺500
$4.48 LKR 1,486
142.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.03 ₺645
$15.57 LKR 5,162
-9.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.89 ₺2,292
$12.73 LKR 4,222
291.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.02 ₺828
$6.18 LKR 2,051
191.59%
Cinema Ticket
$6.53 ₺300
$3.37 LKR 1,117
93.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$626 ₺28.7K
$36.68 LKR 12.2K
1605.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.0K ₺596.0K
$440 LKR 146.0K
2846.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ₺2,448
$27.34 LKR 9,066
94.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.13 ₺1,982
$19.01 LKR 6,304
126.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 ₺4,946
$65.1 LKR 21.6K
65.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7 ₺4,399
$36.62 LKR 12.1K
161.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$627 ₺28.8K
$269 LKR 89.1K
133.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$454 ₺20.9K
$139 LKR 46.0K
227.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,175 ₺54.0K
$622 LKR 206.1K
89.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$726 ₺33.3K
$272 LKR 90.1K
167.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,741 ₺80.0K
$3,686 LKR 1.2M
-52.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,078 ₺49.5K
$1,132 LKR 375.5K
-4.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Turkey
Sri Lanka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,056 ₺48.5K
$212 LKR 70.1K
399.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
42.38
16.21
161.44%

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

Last update for Turkey: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sri Lanka: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $528 in Turkey vs $55.0 in Sri Lanka. For reference, capital cities sit at $741 in Ankara and $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Average salary: $1,056 in Turkey vs $193 in Sri Lanka. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 860% higher in Turkey.

Dining out costs 58% more in Turkey.

Public transport is 3000% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 447% higher in Turkey, giving Turkey stronger purchasing power.

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 254% 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 254% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $1,200 go in Sri Lanka vs 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 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.

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