Bucharest vs Istanbul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bucharest Istanbul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1138
$1305
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2971
$3329
🏠 One person rent
$535
$689
🏘️ Family rent
$931
$1222
🍽️ Food expenses
$389
$350
🚐 Transport expenses
$84.2
$152
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1467
$1095
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
12 km
🎓 Higher education
78
95
😀 Quality of life
84
78
🏙️ Population
1.72M
15.7M

The cost of living in Bucharest is 13% less expensive than in Istanbul. Cities ranked 4935th and 4562nd ($1138 vs $1305) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 1st in Romania and Turkey, respectively. Check Romania vs Turkey comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.3 months in Bucharest compared to 0.8 months in Istanbul. Bucharest ranked 1st best city to live in Romania vs Istanbul ranked 1st in Turkey, while ranked 508th and 925th among best cities to live in the world.

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Prices in Bucharest vs Istanbul

Prices for goods and services in Bucharest and Istanbul are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Bucharest Istanbul
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$11.9
$10.5
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$57.2
$43.5
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$8.13
$9.13
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.53
$4.11
☕ Cappuccino
$3.56
$3.92
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.41
$1.63
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$586
$896
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$385
$561
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1055
$1645
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$699
$1007
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$99.4
$47.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$151
$73.1
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$10.4
$13.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
7.13%
43.72%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4123
$3111
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2286
$1596
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.96
$0.79
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$22.9
$54.8
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$6.84
$7.53
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.76
$1.2
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.66
$1.12
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.08
$0.68
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.32
$1.7
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.75
$2.46
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.2
$10.1
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.76
$6.91
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.7
$20.7
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.38
$1.75
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.77
$2.37
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.77
$1.6
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.49
$1.32
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.87
$0.57
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.91
$0.52
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.62
$0.39
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.33
$1.43
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.76
$12.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.22
$2.18
🚬 Cigarette pack
$6.73
$2.19
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$7.02
$3.32
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.79
$3.23
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.77
$2.1
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.11
$2.29
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$48.8
$57.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.67
$7.96
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$69.3
$57.5
💇 Haircut, simple
$11.2
$8.88
👖 Brand Jeans
$86.8
$54.7
👟 Brand Sneakers
$101
$105
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$769
$1021
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$16525
$20004

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Bucharest

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 8.3 mi Voluntari
$999
56 km or 35 mi Giurgiu
$956
60 km or 37 mi Ploiesti
$926
62 km or 39 mi Ruse
$784
77 km or 48 mi Targoviste
$800
77 km or 48 mi Alexandria
$724
102 km or 63 mi Buzau
$831
102 km or 63 mi Calarasi
$758
103 km or 64 mi Slobozia
$777
108 km or 67 mi Pitesti
$970
137 km or 85 mi Slatina
$695
143 km or 89 mi Shumen
$666
144 km or 90 mi Brasov
$1150
151 km or 94 mi Veliko Tarnovo
$759
156 km or 97 mi Ramnicu Valcea
$826
161 km or 100 mi Pleven
$704
164 km or 102 mi Sfantu Gheorghe
$732
168 km or 104 mi Dobrich
$805
168 km or 105 mi Focsani
$910
177 km or 110 mi Braila
$871
180 km or 112 mi Craiova
$983
181 km or 112 mi Gabrovo
$665
192 km or 119 mi Galati
$950
192 km or 119 mi Sliven
$607
198 km or 123 mi Varna
$1099
203 km or 126 mi Mamaia
$1062
205 km or 127 mi Constanta
$1132
216 km or 134 mi Yambol
$644
217 km or 135 mi Sibiu
$840
223 km or 138 mi Stara Zagora
$716
232 km or 144 mi Tulcea
$916
233 km or 145 mi Targu Jiu
$844
236 km or 146 mi Cahul
$864
237 km or 147 mi Barlad
$841
238 km or 148 mi Medias
$738
239 km or 148 mi Burgas
$872
243 km or 151 mi Vratsa
$763
251 km or 156 mi Bacau
$773
260 km or 161 mi Vidin
$683
267 km or 166 mi Targu Mures
$795

Cities near Istanbul

Distance City Cost of living
40 km or 25 mi Cayirova
$671
46 km or 28 mi Gebze
$652
73 km or 45 mi Korfez
$817
79 km or 49 mi Kocaeli
$867
83 km or 51 mi Golcuk
$828
87 km or 54 mi Izmit
$945
91 km or 56 mi Kapakli
$733
92 km or 57 mi Bursa
$894
96 km or 59 mi Kartepe
$836
98 km or 61 mi Corlu
$691
111 km or 69 mi Bandirma
$731
113 km or 70 mi Inegol
$769
121 km or 75 mi Tekirdag
$590
124 km or 77 mi Adapazari
$543
124 km or 77 mi Sakarya
$681
129 km or 80 mi Bilecik
$806
141 km or 88 mi Luleburgaz
$688
166 km or 103 mi Kirklareli
$552
176 km or 110 mi Balikesir
$746
186 km or 115 mi Duzce
$662
190 km or 118 mi Eskisehir
$748
192 km or 120 mi Uzunkopru
$819
197 km or 122 mi Kutahya
$601
207 km or 129 mi Burgas
$872
208 km or 129 mi Karadeniz Eregli
$711
214 km or 133 mi Edirne
$1137
224 km or 139 mi Bolu
$705
234 km or 145 mi Soma
$752
236 km or 147 mi Canakkale
$712
259 km or 161 mi Varna
$1099
260 km or 162 mi Alexandroupoli
$1029
261 km or 162 mi Yambol
$644
261 km or 162 mi Usak
$698
284 km or 177 mi Afyonkarahisar
$626
287 km or 178 mi Sliven
$607
290 km or 180 mi Salihli
$742
290 km or 180 mi Bartin
$710
295 km or 184 mi Manisa
$767
296 km or 184 mi Mytilene
$1079
299 km or 186 mi Komotini
$1041