Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,978 in Uppsala, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

96

Cost of Living Index in Uppsala
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Uppsala Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Uppsala

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,978

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Uppsala and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Uppsala and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,978 per month in Uppsala vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Uppsala $1,978
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $3,051 per month in Uppsala vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Uppsala $3,051
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $4,124 per month in Uppsala vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Uppsala $4,124
Istanbul $3,281

Uppsala costs about 28% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Uppsala and Istanbul sit above the global median – Uppsala by 46%, Istanbul by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 SEK 148

$12.30 ₺609

21.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 SEK 802

$54.7 ₺2,708

48.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 SEK 97.8

$9.22 ₺456

7.05%

Cappuccino

$4.98 SEK 49.39

$4.40 ₺218

13.18%

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

$3.05 SEK 30.25

$1.68 ₺83.1

81.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.74

$0.59 ₺29.40

306.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 SEK 78.9

$4.70 ₺233

69.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.87 SEK 97.8

$5.91 ₺292

67.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.91

$1.21 ₺60.0

49.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 SEK 27.57

$0.89 ₺44.10

212.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 SEK 45.48

$2.19 ₺108

109.59%

Eggs

$5.05 SEK 50.1

$2.35 ₺116

114.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 SEK 100

$10.42 ₺516

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.77 SEK 146

$5.65 ₺280

161.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.86 SEK 177

$20.94 ₺1,037

-14.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 SEK 41.42

$1.90 ₺94.1

120.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 27.06

$2.31 ₺114

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 SEK 34.63

$1.28 ₺63.1

172.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 SEK 50.7

$1.80 ₺89.0

184.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 19.20

$0.65 ₺32.16

198.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SEK 16.80

$0.64 ₺31.91

165.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 SEK 26.21

$1.25 ₺62.1

111.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 SEK 12.68

$0.56 ₺27.58

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 SEK 78.9

$2.37 ₺118

235.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 SEK 98.2

$13.42 ₺664

-26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 24.51

$2.40 ₺119

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SEK 24.94

$3.48 ₺172

-27.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 SEK 38.80

$0.89 ₺43.84

340.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 SEK 1,103

$67.4 ₺3,338

65.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 SEK 52.8

$1.29 ₺64.1

313.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 SEK 13.13

$0.92 ₺45.70

43.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 SEK 607

$10.96 ₺542

458.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 SEK 17.54

$1.47 ₺72.9

20.41%

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

$33.2K SEK 329.1K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-34.60%

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

$32.1K SEK 318.3K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-27.85%

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

$109 SEK 1,077

$88.6 ₺4,387

22.71%

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

$15.95 SEK 158

$11.59 ₺574

37.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.42 SEK 470

$15.81 ₺783

199.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.13 SEK 388

$77.2 ₺3,820

-49.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.27 SEK 231

$22.74 ₺1,126

2.33%

Cinema Ticket

$18.61 SEK 184

$8.14 ₺403

128.62%

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

$126 SEK 1,248

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-87.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,037

$54.0 ₺2,671

94.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 SEK 480

$40.83 ₺2,021

18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 SEK 935

$98.9 ₺4,895

-4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 SEK 1,982

$96.6 ₺4,783

107.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 SEK 8,836

$985 ₺48.7K

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 SEK 7,009

$650 ₺32.2K

8.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 SEK 17.3K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-11.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 SEK 11.3K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-3.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,186 SEK 51.4K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

65.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,595 SEK 25.7K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

45.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,008 SEK 29.8K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

149.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

40.92

-90.71%

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

Last update for Uppsala: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Uppsala

$707 35.8%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 8.1% $58

Groceries & Markets

Uppsala

$391 19.8%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 33.7% $132

Eating Out

Uppsala

$290 14.7%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 23% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Uppsala

$201 10.2%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 35.2% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Uppsala

$172 8.7%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 32.6% $56

Getting Around

Uppsala

$139 7%

Istanbul

$77 5% 44.7% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Uppsala

$76 3.9%

Istanbul

$93 6% 22.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $892 in Uppsala versus $985 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 150% higher in Uppsala, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Uppsala versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $391 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇪 Uppsala

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

02:51 2:51 AM

03:51 3:51 AM

1 h ahead of Uppsala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

166,698

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Swedish Krona SEK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to SEK in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Uppsala Istanbul 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Uppsala
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Uppsala vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Uppsala is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,966 per month in Uppsala and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $126 per month in Uppsala and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Uppsala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Uppsala at $1,978. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uppsala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Uppsala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.