Bangkok vs Istanbul Cost of Living
Bangkok (Thailand) · Overall index 36.1 — Istanbul (Türkiye) · Overall index 38.0
Summary
- Overall, Istanbul is 5% more expensive than Bangkok.
- Transport in Istanbul is 9% more expensive than in Bangkok.
- Utilities & household in Istanbul is 8% more expensive than in Bangkok.
| Item | Bangkok | Istanbul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +4% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $785 | $834 | +6% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $630 | $681 | +8% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,512 | $1,641 | +9% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,069 | $1,017 | -5% |
| Groceries | +5% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.61 | $0.59 | -3% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.14 | $1.97 | -8% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.56 | $2.57 | 0% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.53 | $2.68 | +6% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $6.93 | $7.92 | +14% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.15 | $6.79 | +10% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.3 | $9.75 | -5% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.84 | $3.01 | +6% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.93 | $0.95 | +2% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.4 | $2.33 | -3% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.38 | $2.89 | +21% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.38 | $1.67 | +21% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.39 | $1.52 | +9% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.2 | $1.42 | +18% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.22 | $1.12 | -8% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.66 | $7.89 | +3% |
| Transport | +9% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.01 | $1 | -1% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $44.6 | $46.8 | +5% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.59 | $1.8 | +13% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.81 | $0.89 | +10% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.37 | $0.4 | +8% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,133 | $12,051 | +19% |
| Dining out | +2% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.84 | $9.61 | +9% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $47.5 | $46.8 | -1% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.21 | $5.61 | +8% |
| Cappuccino | $2.15 | $2.14 | 0% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.11 | $1.11 | 0% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.3 | $3.04 | -8% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.74 | $3.62 | -3% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.78 | $0.87 | +12% |
| Telecom | +6% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $33.4 | $37.5 | +12% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $37.1 | $40.2 | +8% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.18 | -5% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.29 | $8.91 | +7% |
| Utilities & household | +8% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $81.5 | $96 | +18% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.1 | +11% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.32 | $2.38 | +3% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.67 | $0.77 | +15% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.8 | $10.9 | +1% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $37.2 | $42.1 | +13% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.95 | $8.61 | +8% |
| Men's haircut | $15.5 | $15.3 | -1% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $12.7 | $11.8 | -7% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $991 | $1,178 | +19% |
3,177 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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