Bucharest vs Istanbul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bucharest Istanbul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1036
$1125
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2606
$2885
🏠 One person rent
$496
$587
🏘️ Family rent
$863
$1119
🍽️ Food expenses
$354
$308
🚐 Transport expenses
$72.4
$117
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1242
$820
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
12 km
🎓 Higher education
76
95
😀 Quality of life
78
77
🏙️ Population
1.72M
15.5M

The cost of living in Bucharest is 8% less expensive than in Istanbul. Cities ranked 5404th and 4816th ($1036 vs $1125) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 1st in Romania and Turkey, respectively. Check Romania vs Turkey comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.2 months in Bucharest compared to 0.7 months in Istanbul. Bucharest ranked 1st best city to live in Romania vs Istanbul ranked 1st in Turkey, while ranked 642nd and 790th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Bucharest vs Istanbul infographic

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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
$10.6
$8.84
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$47
$41
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$7.53
$7.35
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.06
$4.29
☕ Cappuccino
$3.18
$3.27
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.11
$1.42
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$545
$769
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$348
$475
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$948
$1529
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$640
$921
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$99
$40.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$152
$63.2
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$9.34
$12.9
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
7.21%
45.66%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2831
$3275
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1759
$1719
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.67
$0.58
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$18.6
$39.7
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$5.92
$5.27
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.64
$1.25
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.77
$1.06
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.03
$0.8
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.41
$1.47
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.32
$1.94
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.2
$9.45
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.76
$6.14
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.6
$18.8
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.24
$1.19
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.74
$2.14
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.71
$1.05
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2
$1.15
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.08
$0.66
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.05
$0.57
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.6
$0.27
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.11
$1.49
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.93
$10.7
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.18
$2.02
🚬 Cigarette pack
$6.06
$2.01
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$6.85
$3.18
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.36
$3.25
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.78
$1.93
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.29
$2.73
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$44.3
$45.2
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.19
$5.86
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$55
$70.6
💇 Haircut, simple
$11.1
$12.8
👖 Brand Jeans
$78.8
$51.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$87.9
$94.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$532
$626
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$10286
$13982

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
$900
56 km or 35 mi Giurgiu
$852
60 km or 37 mi Ploiesti
$786
62 km or 39 mi Ruse
$668
77 km or 48 mi Targoviste
$757
77 km or 48 mi Alexandria
$663
102 km or 63 mi Buzau
$795
102 km or 63 mi Calarasi
$727
103 km or 64 mi Slobozia
$759
108 km or 67 mi Pitesti
$772
137 km or 85 mi Slatina
$631
143 km or 89 mi Shumen
$644
144 km or 90 mi Brasov
$955
151 km or 94 mi Veliko Tarnovo
$793
156 km or 97 mi Ramnicu Valcea
$688
161 km or 100 mi Pleven
$684
164 km or 102 mi Sfantu Gheorghe
$751
168 km or 104 mi Dobrich
$755
168 km or 105 mi Focsani
$751
177 km or 110 mi Braila
$721
180 km or 112 mi Craiova
$744
181 km or 112 mi Gabrovo
$589
192 km or 119 mi Galati
$831
192 km or 119 mi Sliven
$624
198 km or 123 mi Varna
$931
203 km or 126 mi Mamaia
$961
205 km or 127 mi Constanta
$1035
216 km or 134 mi Yambol
$561
217 km or 135 mi Sibiu
$837
223 km or 138 mi Stara Zagora
$693
232 km or 144 mi Tulcea
$832
233 km or 145 mi Targu Jiu
$761
236 km or 146 mi Cahul
$846
237 km or 147 mi Barlad
$759
238 km or 148 mi Medias
$584
239 km or 148 mi Burgas
$573
243 km or 151 mi Vratsa
$876
251 km or 156 mi Bacau
$735
260 km or 161 mi Vidin
$640
267 km or 166 mi Targu Mures
$721

Cities near Istanbul

Distance City Cost of living
40 km or 25 mi Cayirova
$594
46 km or 28 mi Gebze
$579
73 km or 45 mi Korfez
$643
79 km or 49 mi Kocaeli
$695
83 km or 51 mi Golcuk
$642
87 km or 54 mi Izmit
$652
91 km or 56 mi Kapakli
$683
92 km or 57 mi Bursa
$789
96 km or 59 mi Kartepe
$633
98 km or 61 mi Corlu
$694
111 km or 69 mi Bandirma
$655
113 km or 70 mi Inegol
$690
121 km or 75 mi Tekirdag
$705
124 km or 77 mi Adapazari
$502
124 km or 77 mi Sakarya
$605
129 km or 80 mi Bilecik
$692
141 km or 88 mi Luleburgaz
$646
166 km or 103 mi Kirklareli
$596
176 km or 110 mi Balikesir
$584
186 km or 115 mi Duzce
$461
190 km or 118 mi Eskisehir
$716
192 km or 120 mi Uzunkopru
$645
197 km or 122 mi Kutahya
$700
207 km or 129 mi Burgas
$573
208 km or 129 mi Karadeniz Eregli
$589
214 km or 133 mi Edirne
$635
224 km or 139 mi Bolu
$599
234 km or 145 mi Soma
$642
236 km or 147 mi Canakkale
$668
259 km or 161 mi Varna
$931
260 km or 162 mi Alexandroupoli
$999
261 km or 162 mi Yambol
$561
261 km or 162 mi Usak
$648
284 km or 177 mi Afyonkarahisar
$463
287 km or 178 mi Sliven
$624
290 km or 180 mi Salihli
$657
290 km or 180 mi Bartin
$672
295 km or 184 mi Manisa
$612
296 km or 184 mi Mytilene
$899
299 km or 186 mi Komotini
$985