Istanbul vs Seoul Cost of Living
Istanbul (Türkiye) · Overall index 38.0 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 40% more expensive than Istanbul.
- Dining out in Seoul is 56% more expensive than in Istanbul.
- Transport in Seoul is 51% more expensive than in Istanbul.
| Item | Istanbul | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +45% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $834 | $1,128 | +35% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $681 | $885 | +30% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,641 | $2,631 | +60% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,017 | $1,576 | +55% |
| Groceries | +37% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.59 | $0.97 | +64% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.97 | $3.03 | +54% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.57 | $3.33 | +30% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.68 | $3.32 | +24% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $7.92 | $9.47 | +20% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.79 | $8.39 | +24% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $9.75 | $14.8 | +52% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.01 | $4.15 | +38% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.95 | $1.53 | +61% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.33 | $3.36 | +44% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.89 | $3.73 | +29% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.67 | $2.22 | +33% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.52 | $1.86 | +22% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.42 | $1.71 | +20% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.12 | $1.67 | +49% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.89 | $11.7 | +48% |
| Transport | +51% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1 | $1.68 | +68% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $46.8 | $68.9 | +47% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.8 | $2.76 | +53% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.89 | $1.34 | +51% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.4 | $0.53 | +33% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $12,051 | $18,844 | +56% |
| Dining out | +56% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $9.61 | $14.8 | +54% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $46.8 | $84.8 | +81% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.61 | $7.96 | +42% |
| Cappuccino | $2.14 | $3.11 | +45% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.11 | $1.89 | +70% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.04 | $4.53 | +49% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.62 | $5.53 | +53% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.87 | $1.43 | +64% |
| Telecom | +22% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $37.5 | $45.1 | +20% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $40.2 | $47.3 | +18% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.18 | $0.22 | +22% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.91 | $11.3 | +27% |
| Utilities & household | +37% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $96 | $130 | +35% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.1 | $0.16 | +60% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.38 | $3.13 | +32% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.77 | $1.03 | +34% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.9 | $15.9 | +46% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $42.1 | $60.9 | +45% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.61 | $9.46 | +10% |
| Men's haircut | $15.3 | $22.9 | +50% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $11.8 | $16.6 | +41% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,178 | $1,561 | +33% |
3,024 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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