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Fukuoka vs Istanbul cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฏ๐ต Fukuoka
๐น๐ท Istanbul
At a glance
- Where Istanbul is clearly cheaper: Bottled water (44%โ), Taxi (42%โ), Laundry (41%โ)
- Where Fukuoka is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (82%โ), SIM card (54%โ), Cocktail & wine (52%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Fukuoka is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Fukuoka 1 vs Istanbul 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Fukuoka | Istanbul | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | โบ 450$11 | Fukuoka โ38% |
| Street food1 item | ยฅ 800$5.41 | โบ 180$4.39 | Istanbul โ19% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฅ 3,500$23.6 | โบ 1,000$24.4 | similar |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฅ 500$3.38 | โบ 190$4.63 | Fukuoka โ27% |
| Beerone bottle | ยฅ 580$3.92 | โบ 220$5.37 | Fukuoka โ27% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฅ 700$4.73 | โบ 400$9.76 | Fukuoka โ52% |
| Bottled water | ยฅ 130$0.88 | โบ 20$0.49 | Istanbul โ44% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฅ 190$1.28 | โบ 50$1.22 | Istanbul โ5% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | โบ 320$7.8 | Istanbul โ42% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | โบ 230$5.61 | Istanbul โ17% |
| Transitone ride | ยฅ 210$1.42 | โบ 46$1.12 | Istanbul โ21% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฅ 2,700$18.2 | โบ 800$19.5 | Fukuoka โ7% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฅ 13,000$87.8 | โบ 3,500$85.4 | similar |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฅ 70,000$473 | โบ 28,000$683 | Fukuoka โ31% |
| Laundry | ยฅ 740$5 | โบ 120$2.93 | Istanbul โ41% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | โบ 1,500$36.6 | Fukuoka โ54% |
| Haircutcut | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | โบ 500$12.2 | Istanbul โ28% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฅ 4,000$27 | โบ 1,800$43.9 | Fukuoka โ38% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฅ 8,000$54.1 | โบ 2,000$48.8 | Istanbul โ10% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | โบ 1,500$36.6 | Fukuoka โ82% |
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, Fukuoka or Istanbul?
Fukuoka is 13% cheaper than Istanbul. Daily budget $177 vs $174; a month $2,323 vs $3,072.
Which is easier to travel, Fukuoka or Istanbul?
Fukuoka is easier: Fukuoka 1.6/5 vs Istanbul 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Fukuoka and Istanbul?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Fukuoka is about $2,323 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.