Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Villeurbanne and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $1,940 in Villeurbanne, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Villeurbanne
🇫🇷 France
$1,940
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Villeurbanne 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 Villeurbanne and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,940 per month in Villeurbanne vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Villeurbanne $1,940
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $2,822 per month in Villeurbanne vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Villeurbanne $2,822
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $3,704 per month in Villeurbanne vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Villeurbanne $3,704
  • Istanbul $3,281

Villeurbanne costs about 25% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Villeurbanne and Istanbul sit above the global median – Villeurbanne by 44%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.54 €14.71
$12.30 ₺609
34.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.1 €58.8
$54.7 ₺2,708
20.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.45 €11.96
$9.22 ₺456
45.88%
Cappuccino
$4.11 €3.66
$4.40 ₺218
-6.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$1.68 ₺83.1
64.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 €1.53
$0.59 ₺29.40
191.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.86 €6.99
$4.70 ₺233
67.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.12 €5.45
$5.91 ₺292
3.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.11
$1.21 ₺60.0
3.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 €1.52
$0.89 ₺44.10
92.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.47 €2.19
$2.19 ₺108
12.79%
Eggs
$4.80 €4.27
$2.35 ₺116
104.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.69 €20.19
$10.42 ₺516
117.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.13 €10.79
$5.65 ₺280
114.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.09 €20.54
$20.94 ₺1,037
10.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 €2.09
$1.90 ₺94.1
23.68%
Banana (1kg)
$2.50 €2.22
$2.31 ₺114
8.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 €2.52
$1.28 ₺63.1
121.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.03 €2.70
$1.80 ₺89.0
68.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 €2.30
$0.65 ₺32.16
296.92%
Onion (1kg)
$3.01 €2.67
$0.64 ₺31.91
370.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.25 ₺62.1
13.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.74
$0.56 ₺27.58
48.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.45 €11.96
$2.37 ₺118
467.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.79 €6.93
$13.42 ₺664
-41.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.42
$2.40 ₺119
13.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 €2.85
$3.48 ₺172
-7.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.06
$0.89 ₺43.84
160.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$80.6 €71.7
$67.4 ₺3,338
19.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 €2.52
$1.29 ₺64.1
119.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.24 €2.00
$0.92 ₺45.70
143.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.58 €36.98
$10.96 ₺542
279.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.18 €1.94
$1.47 ₺72.9
48.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K €31.0K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-31.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K €30.7K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-22.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$232 €206
$88.6 ₺4,387
161.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.46 €16.42
$11.59 ₺574
59.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.22 €31.33
$15.81 ₺783
122.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.65 €31.71
$77.2 ₺3,820
-53.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.31 €12.73
$8.14 ₺403
75.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$633 €563
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-37.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K €10.2K
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-55.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €96.2
$54.0 ₺2,671
100.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.18 €38.41
$40.83 ₺2,021
5.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.0
$98.9 ₺4,895
6.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €110
$96.6 ₺4,783
28.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,011 €899
$985 ₺48.7K
2.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$649 €577
$650 ₺32.2K
-0.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,136 €1,010
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-42.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$882 €784
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-25.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,919 €3,486
$3,138 ₺155.4K
24.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,017 €2,684
$1,780 ₺88.1K
69.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Villeurbanne
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,178 €3,716
$1,205 ₺59.7K
246.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.77
40.92
-90.79%

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

Last update for Villeurbanne: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Villeurbanne
$649
Istanbul
$650 0.2% $1.3
Groceries & Markets
Villeurbanne
$375
Istanbul
$260 30.7% $115
Eating Out
Villeurbanne
$291
Istanbul
$223 23.4% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Villeurbanne
$286
Istanbul
$116 59.4% $169
Clothing & Footwear
Villeurbanne
$171
Istanbul
$131 23.8% $41
Getting Around
Villeurbanne
$104
Istanbul
$77 26% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Villeurbanne
$64
Istanbul
$93 45.4% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,011 in Villeurbanne 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 247% higher in Villeurbanne, 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 $66.0 in Villeurbanne versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Villeurbanne
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
10:40 10:40 AM
11:40 11:40 AM
1 h ahead of Villeurbanne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
156,928
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Villeurbanne Istanbul 2,010 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Villeurbanne
  • 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
Villeurbanne vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Villeurbanne?
Yes – Villeurbanne is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,910 per month in Villeurbanne and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $633 per month in Villeurbanne and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Villeurbanne and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 44% more in Villeurbanne, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Villeurbanne or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Villeurbanne at $1,940. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Villeurbanne it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Villeurbanne or Istanbul more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Villeurbanne or Istanbul?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Villeurbanne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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