Cost Of Living

Cost of Living in Istanbul

The cost of living in Istanbul is lower than in many other european cities, but it is higher when compared to the rest of Turkey. There are much more social activities to spend money on in İstanbul compared to the other cities in Turkey.

Usually students in Istanbul spend around 3000-4000₺ per month, including accomodation, food and transportation expenses. However, the amount of money you will need depends on your life style. For example, if you plan to travel to different parts of Turkey, you will definitely need more money.

Restaurants Price Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 60-70 ₺
meatball 1 portion 30-50 ₺
chopped steak 100-150 ₺
beef tenderloin 100-150 ₺
Water (0.5 liter bottle) 2-4 ₺
Markets  
Milk (regular), (1 liter) 8-12 ₺
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) 3-5 ₺
Rice (white), (1kg) 15-25 ₺
Eggs (regular) (12) 15-25 ₺
Local Cheese (1kg) 35-40 ₺
Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) 28-40 ₺
Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 80-100 ₺
Apples (1kg) 6-8 ₺
Banana (1kg) 10-15 ₺
Oranges (1kg) 9-12 ₺
Tomato (1kg) 7-10 ₺
Potato (1kg) 6-10 ₺
Onion (1kg) 3-5 ₺
Lettuce (1 head) 5-8 ₺
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2-4 ₺
Transportation  
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 8 ₺
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 317 ₺
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 6 ₺
Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) 4 ₺
Monthly Pass(student price) 57 ₺
Gasoline (1 liter) 9-11 ₺
Utilities (Monthly)  
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment 300-700 ₺
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) 0.44-1.00 ₺
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 80-160 ₺
Clothing And Shoes  
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 250-500 ₺
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, …) 200-500 ₺
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 500-800 ₺
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 230-500 ₺