Popular cities
Edinburgh vs Istanbul cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฌ๐ง Edinburgh
๐น๐ท Istanbul
At a glance
- Where Istanbul is clearly cheaper: Laundry (76%โ), Bottled water (70%โ), Transit (65%โ)
- Where Edinburgh is clearly cheaper: SIM card (63%โ), Entry ticket (21%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Edinburgh is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: language โ Edinburgh 1 vs Istanbul 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Edinburgh | Istanbul | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฃ 14$18.9 | โบ 450$11 | Istanbul โ42% |
| Street food1 item | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | โบ 180$4.39 | Istanbul โ41% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฃ 30$40.5 | โบ 1,000$24.4 | Istanbul โ40% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฃ 3.8$5.14 | โบ 190$4.63 | Istanbul โ10% |
| Beerone bottle | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | โบ 220$5.37 | Istanbul โ28% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฃ 9$12.2 | โบ 400$9.76 | Istanbul โ20% |
| Bottled water | ยฃ 1.2$1.62 | โบ 20$0.49 | Istanbul โ70% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฃ 1.8$2.43 | โบ 50$1.22 | Istanbul โ50% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฃ 11$14.9 | โบ 320$7.8 | Istanbul โ47% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฃ 7$9.46 | โบ 230$5.61 | Istanbul โ41% |
| Transitone ride | ยฃ 2.4$3.24 | โบ 46$1.12 | Istanbul โ65% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฃ 20$27 | โบ 800$19.5 | Istanbul โ28% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฃ 120$162 | โบ 3,500$85.4 | Istanbul โ47% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฃ 1,050$1,419 | โบ 28,000$683 | Istanbul โ52% |
| Laundry | ยฃ 9$12.2 | โบ 120$2.93 | Istanbul โ76% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฃ 10$13.5 | โบ 1,500$36.6 | Edinburgh โ63% |
| Haircutcut | ยฃ 18$24.3 | โบ 500$12.2 | Istanbul โ50% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฃ 60$81.1 | โบ 1,800$43.9 | Istanbul โ46% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฃ 40$54.1 | โบ 2,000$48.8 | Istanbul โ10% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฃ 21.5$29.1 | โบ 1,500$36.6 | Edinburgh โ21% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Edinburgh or Istanbul?
Istanbul is 44% cheaper than Edinburgh. Daily budget $313 vs $174; a month $5,475 vs $3,072.
Which is easier to travel, Edinburgh or Istanbul?
Edinburgh is easier: Edinburgh 1.6/5 vs Istanbul 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Edinburgh and Istanbul?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Edinburgh is about $5,475 and Istanbul about $3,072 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.