Istanbul vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Istanbul Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1288
$1383
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3260
$3421
🏠 One person rent
$675
$635
🏘️ Family rent
$1155
$1111
🍽️ Food expenses
$361
$484
🚐 Transport expenses
$138
$152
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$958
$1954
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
18 km
🎓 Higher education
95
100
😀 Quality of life
78
93
🏙️ Population
15.7M
9.67M

The cost of living in Istanbul is 7% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 4522nd and 4296th ($1288 vs $1383) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 2nd 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 1.4 months in Seoul. Istanbul ranked 1st best city to live in Turkey vs Seoul ranked 2nd in South Korea, while ranked 1015th and 90th among best cities to live in the world.

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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
$10.5
$7.28
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$51.2
$43.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$8.55
$5.99
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.98
$3.46
☕ Cappuccino
$3.9
$3.69
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.5
$1.66
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$864
$764
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$552
$460
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1568
$1372
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$944
$841
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$47.8
$97.1
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$73.6
$147
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$13
$16.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
46.24%
3.97%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2833
$20727
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1376
$10845
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.72
$1.04
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$47.6
$44.6
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$6.88
$9.78
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.2
$1.15
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.03
$2.01
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$0.61
$2.68
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.6
$2.55
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.58
$3.27
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.22
$14.9
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.17
$9.59
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$20
$33
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.52
$7.35
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.33
$3.34
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.4
$5.41
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.36
$5.24
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.68
$3.68
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.61
$2.95
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.37
$0.8
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.55
$1.8
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$13.5
$17.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.22
$1.97
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.1
$3.12
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.85
$3.56
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.17
$3.98
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.87
$3.5
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.68
$1.3
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$52.9
$47.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.41
$10
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$61.5
$62.2
💇 Haircut, simple
$9.56
$16.7
👖 Brand Jeans
$53.3
$49.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$104
$67.5
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$1043
$357
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$18637
$21347

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
$679
46 km or 28 mi Gebze
$659
73 km or 45 mi Korfez
$819
79 km or 49 mi Kocaeli
$835
83 km or 51 mi Golcuk
$838
87 km or 54 mi Izmit
$985
91 km or 56 mi Kapakli
$725
92 km or 57 mi Bursa
$915
96 km or 59 mi Kartepe
$852
98 km or 61 mi Corlu
$679
111 km or 69 mi Bandirma
$724
113 km or 70 mi Inegol
$787
121 km or 75 mi Tekirdag
$562
124 km or 77 mi Adapazari
$547
124 km or 77 mi Sakarya
$686
129 km or 80 mi Bilecik
$837
141 km or 88 mi Luleburgaz
$691
166 km or 103 mi Kirklareli
$574
176 km or 110 mi Balikesir
$704
186 km or 115 mi Duzce
$695
190 km or 118 mi Eskisehir
$777
192 km or 120 mi Uzunkopru
$821
197 km or 122 mi Kutahya
$612
207 km or 129 mi Burgas
$848
208 km or 129 mi Karadeniz Eregli
$713
214 km or 133 mi Edirne
$1151
224 km or 139 mi Bolu
$655
234 km or 145 mi Soma
$732
236 km or 147 mi Canakkale
$697
259 km or 161 mi Varna
$1039
260 km or 162 mi Alexandroupoli
$1006
261 km or 162 mi Yambol
$618
261 km or 162 mi Usak
$699
284 km or 177 mi Afyonkarahisar
$664
287 km or 178 mi Sliven
$591
290 km or 180 mi Salihli
$725
290 km or 180 mi Bartin
$745
295 km or 184 mi Manisa
$760
296 km or 184 mi Mytilene
$1067
299 km or 186 mi Komotini
$1013

Cities near Seoul

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi Guri
$1134
17 km or 10 mi Goyang
$1097
17 km or 10 mi Gwangmyeong
$1090
17 km or 11 mi Gwacheon
$1078
19 km or 12 mi Uijeongbu
$918
20 km or 12 mi Hanam
$1178
20 km or 12 mi Namyangju
$1138
20 km or 13 mi Seongnam
$1435
21 km or 13 mi Siheung
$1307
21 km or 13 mi Bucheon
$1175
22 km or 14 mi Anyang
$1004
23 km or 14 mi Yangju
$948
24 km or 15 mi Gunpo
$1112
26 km or 16 mi Gimpo
$1098
27 km or 17 mi Uiwang
$1080
30 km or 19 mi Gwangju
$1196
32 km or 20 mi Paju
$1065
33 km or 20 mi Ansan
$1049
33 km or 21 mi Suwon
$1066
34 km or 21 mi Incheon
$1088
37 km or 23 mi Dongducheon
$1023
39 km or 24 mi Pocheon
$1028
42 km or 26 mi Yongin
$1120
47 km or 29 mi Hwaseong
$1098
49 km or 31 mi Osan
$1076
52 km or 32 mi Icheon
$1171
58 km or 36 mi Kaesong
$1568
65 km or 40 mi Yeoju
$1079
66 km or 41 mi Pyeongtaek
$1141
69 km or 43 mi Anseong
$1078
72 km or 45 mi Chuncheon
$874
83 km or 52 mi Dangjin
$1059
86 km or 53 mi Wonju
$1110
87 km or 54 mi Cheonan
$1153
101 km or 63 mi Seosan
$1068
107 km or 66 mi Chungju
$920
114 km or 71 mi Cheongju
$924
118 km or 73 mi Jecheon
$1037
123 km or 77 mi Haeju
$1565
124 km or 77 mi Sejong
$1020