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 $2,643 per month in United States vs $1,081 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $1,676 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,070 per month in United States vs $2,271 in Turkey, rent included.

United States costs about 144% more than Turkey on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 97% above the global median, while Turkey is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Turkey ($866–$1,732), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$8.92 ₺410

124.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$38.84 ₺1,784

95.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$7.80 ₺358

46.41%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$3.18 ₺146

69.50%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$1.26 ₺58.1

102.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.49 ₺22.59

316.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.63 ₺167

69.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.65 ₺214

54.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.99 ₺45.66

5.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.79 ₺36.44

362.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.13 ₺97.7

122.07%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.32 ₺107

88.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$9.78 ₺449

30.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$5.70 ₺262

117.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$19.78 ₺909

-17.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.34 ₺61.6

304.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.19 ₺101

-24.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.18 ₺54.3

288.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.46 ₺67.1

236.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.76 ₺34.86

284.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$0.61 ₺28.15

413.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.00 ₺45.86

126.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.51 ₺23.31

350.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$2.21 ₺101

347.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$10.87 ₺499

38.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.15 ₺98.6

-11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.82 ₺130

29.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.70 ₺32.26

254.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$44.97 ₺2,066

44.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.06 ₺48.55

262.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.66 ₺30.23

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$7.61 ₺349

301.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.19 ₺54.5

-19.33%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$43.2K ₺2.0M

-29.40%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$43.4K ₺2.0M

-39.24%

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

$204 $204

$69.3 ₺3,185

194.49%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$10.88 ₺500

426.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$14.03 ₺645

407.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$49.89 ₺2,292

-6.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$18.02 ₺828

22.75%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$6.53 ₺300

111.94%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$626 ₺28.7K

121.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$13.0K ₺596.0K

75.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$53.3 ₺2,448

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$43.13 ₺1,982

0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$108 ₺4,946

-15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$95.7 ₺4,399

19.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$627 ₺28.8K

181.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$454 ₺20.9K

221.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,175 ₺54.0K

141.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$726 ₺33.3K

232.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$1,741 ₺80.0K

88.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,078 ₺49.5K

145.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$1,056 ₺48.5K

314.61%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Turkey: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,637 in United States vs $528 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,591 in Washington, DC and $741 in Ankara.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $1,056 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 326% higher in United States, giving United States 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

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

Turkey is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 147% 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 147% 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.