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 $2,626 per month in United States vs $1,020 in Turkey, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,830 per month in United States vs $1,591 in Turkey, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,033 per month in United States vs $2,161 in Turkey, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 157% higher than in Turkey on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 90% above the global median, while Turkey is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($986–$5,298) than in Turkey ($667–$1,752), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 $19.83

$9.07 ₺440

118.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$41.10 ₺1,996

91.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$8.74 ₺425

39.47%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$3.63 ₺176

53.99%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.44 ₺70.0

93.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.50 ₺24.19

336.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.82 ₺185

53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$4.45 ₺216

80.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.02 ₺49.48

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$0.99 ₺48.06

271.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.22 ₺108

109.91%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$2.20 ₺107

90.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$9.83 ₺477

30.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$4.82 ₺234

157.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 $16.90

$20.63 ₺1,002

-18.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$1.83 ₺88.6

185.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.97 ₺95.5

-15.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.11 ₺54.1

290.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.34 ₺64.9

270.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$0.57 ₺27.79

394.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$0.43 ₺20.76

623.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.93 ₺45.19

135.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.64 ₺31.20

253.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.35 $10.35

$2.23 ₺108

364.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$11.94 ₺580

24.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.24 ₺109

-6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.97 ₺144

22.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.80 ₺38.89

197.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 $64.5

$41.38 ₺2,009

55.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.52 ₺74.0

132.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.85 ₺41.26

118.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.34 $30.34

$7.97 ₺387

280.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.33 ₺64.8

-24.81%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$43.7K ₺2.1M

-18.72%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$42.1K ₺2.0M

-38.60%

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

$222 $222

$75.9 ₺3,684

192.86%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$10.31 ₺500

492.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$15.65 ₺760

377.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.49 $44.49

$54.3 ₺2,635

-18.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.35 $22.35

$20.33 ₺987

9.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$7.41 ₺360

102.83%

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

$1,431 $1,431

$680 ₺33.0K

110.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$15.8K ₺769.5K

63.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

$52.8 ₺2,562

1.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.46 $43.46

$43.65 ₺2,119

-0.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$101 ₺4,885

-9.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$91.7 ₺4,453

23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$587 ₺28.5K

178.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$421 ₺20.4K

215.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,606 $2,606

$1,012 ₺49.1K

157.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,206 $2,206

$699 ₺33.9K

215.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,323 $3,323

$1,753 ₺85.1K

89.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,653 $2,653

$1,103 ₺53.6K

140.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 $4,306

$1,100 ₺53.4K

291.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

41.91

-85.18%

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

Last update for United States: September 7, 2026

Last update for Turkey: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,604 in United States vs $458 in Turkey. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,360 in Columbia, TN and $749 in Ankara.

Average salary: $4,526 in United States vs $1,058 in Turkey. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 250% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 108% more in United States.

Salaries are 328% 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 160% 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 160% 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.