Istanbul vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Istanbul Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1248
$1334
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3224
$3862
🏠 One person rent
$649
$608
🏘️ Family rent
$1199
$1634
🍽️ Food expenses
$354
$488
🚐 Transport expenses
$125
$144
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$883
$2911
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
95
100
😀 Quality of life
76
95
🏙️ Population
15.7M
9.67M

The cost of living in Istanbul is 6% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 4347th and 4104th ($1248 vs $1334) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 3rd in Turkey and South Korea, respectively. Check Turkey vs South Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.7 months in Istanbul compared to 2.2 months in Seoul. Istanbul ranked 1st best city to live in Turkey vs Seoul ranked 1st in South Korea, while ranked 850th and 30th among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Istanbul vs Seoul infographic

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Prices in Istanbul vs Seoul

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

Istanbul Seoul
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$11
$7.53
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$49.1
$40.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$8.29
$5.87
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$4.14
$3.5
☕ Cappuccino
$3.37
$3.57
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.38
$1.58
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$853
$754
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$529
$422
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1671
$2293
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$985
$1250
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$41.3
$99.6
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$63.7
$155
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$13.4
$20.3
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
47.81%
4.85%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3233
$19682
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1719
$11168
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.74
$1.05
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$42.7
$44.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$5.79
$8.29
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.23
$1.17
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.11
$2.06
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$0.79
$3.08
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.11
$3.06
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.36
$3.38
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.72
$12.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.14
$8.56
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$19.1
$32
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.37
$7.25
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.13
$3.37
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.2
$5.31
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.56
$5.9
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.61
$3.54
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.61
$2.82
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.38
$0.81
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.49
$2.18
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$11.1
$20.3
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.18
$2.46
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.19
$3.17
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$5.59
$4.67
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.23
$5.75
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.91
$2.16
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.38
$2.86
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$54.7
$48.3
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$6.81
$10.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$78.3
$22.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$8.76
$9.53
👖 Brand Jeans
$58.1
$58.3
👟 Brand Sneakers
$103
$82.4
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$815
$420
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$17728
$20197

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Istanbul

Distance City Cost of living
40 km or 25 mi Cayirova
$599
46 km or 28 mi Gebze
$573
73 km or 45 mi Korfez
$782
79 km or 49 mi Kocaeli
$718
83 km or 51 mi Golcuk
$835
87 km or 54 mi Izmit
$1113
91 km or 56 mi Kapakli
$701
92 km or 57 mi Bursa
$743
96 km or 59 mi Kartepe
$872
98 km or 61 mi Corlu
$690
111 km or 69 mi Bandirma
$679
113 km or 70 mi Inegol
$708
121 km or 75 mi Tekirdag
$661
124 km or 77 mi Adapazari
$455
124 km or 77 mi Sakarya
$547
129 km or 80 mi Bilecik
$755
141 km or 88 mi Luleburgaz
$661
166 km or 103 mi Kirklareli
$642
176 km or 110 mi Balikesir
$707
186 km or 115 mi Duzce
$535
190 km or 118 mi Eskisehir
$691
192 km or 120 mi Uzunkopru
$652
197 km or 122 mi Kutahya
$568
207 km or 129 mi Burgas
$721
208 km or 129 mi Karadeniz Eregli
$626
214 km or 133 mi Edirne
$624
224 km or 139 mi Bolu
$616
234 km or 145 mi Soma
$679
236 km or 147 mi Canakkale
$690
259 km or 161 mi Varna
$892
260 km or 162 mi Alexandroupoli
$911
261 km or 162 mi Yambol
$546
261 km or 162 mi Usak
$629
284 km or 177 mi Afyonkarahisar
$464
287 km or 178 mi Sliven
$631
290 km or 180 mi Salihli
$677
290 km or 180 mi Bartin
$710
295 km or 184 mi Manisa
$638
296 km or 184 mi Mytilene
$934
299 km or 186 mi Komotini
$899

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1122
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1171
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1089
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1070
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$955
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1161
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1129
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1400
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1283
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1163
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1022
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$974
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1098
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1099
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1063
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1165
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1075
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1070
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$1022
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1092
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$1055
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$1040
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1127
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1089
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1042
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1020
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1565
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1026
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$984
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1026
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$865
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1033
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1074
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1151
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1036
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$900
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$936
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$1016
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1550
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$1019