Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Turkey Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Turkey

Name: Turkey
Address: TR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,642 per month in United States vs $1,081 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $1,675 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in United States vs $2,268 in Turkey, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 144% higher than in Turkey on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 98% above the global median, while Turkey is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($1,335–$5,182) than in Turkey ($879–$1,733), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$8.90 ₺420

120.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$37.67 ₺1,775

100.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$7.72 ₺364

49.87%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$3.33 ₺157

56.76%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.34 ₺63.1

85.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.48 ₺22.72

329.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.59 ₺169

64.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$4.45 ₺210

60.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.99 ₺46.47

10.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.81 ₺38.26

339.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.18 ₺103

117.43%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.31 ₺109

87.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$9.86 ₺465

28.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$5.71 ₺269

115.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$19.55 ₺922

-15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$1.34 ₺63.1

285.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.28 ₺107

-25.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.23 ₺57.9

261.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.53 ₺72.1

213.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.72 ₺33.98

306.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.61 ₺28.92

406.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.04 ₺49.20

113.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.47 ₺22.31

378.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$2.14 ₺101

362.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$11.22 ₺529

36.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.13 ₺100

-10.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.97 ₺140

20.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.72 ₺33.81

241.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$46.57 ₺2,195

38.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.09 ₺51.4

245.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.66 ₺31.05

159.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$7.77 ₺366

287.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.17 ₺55.2

-17.95%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$42.5K ₺2.0M

-29.68%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$43.2K ₺2.0M

-39.47%

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

$210 $210

$69.0 ₺3,254

204.35%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$10.86 ₺512

418.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$14.06 ₺663

418.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$49.31 ₺2,324

-7.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$18.14 ₺855

19.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$6.47 ₺305

117.00%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$637 ₺30.0K

116.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$12.9K ₺607.4K

73.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$54.5 ₺2,568

-3.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$44.31 ₺2,088

-4.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$108 ₺5,068

-14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$94.7 ₺4,465

19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$646 ₺30.4K

173.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$445 ₺21.0K

228.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,173 ₺55.3K

142.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$722 ₺34.0K

228.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$1,740 ₺82.0K

93.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$1,058 ₺49.9K

151.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$1,087 ₺51.2K

302.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

42.38

-84.64%

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

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for Turkey: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $527 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,625 in Washington, MI and $726 in Ankara.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $1,041 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 210% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 143% more in United States.

Public transport is 24% more expensive in Turkey.

Salaries are 332% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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

United States vs Turkey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Turkey is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 150% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Turkey, contributing to the overall 150% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Turkey, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Turkey 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.