Popular cities
Istanbul vs London cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐น๐ท Istanbul
๐ฌ๐ง London
At a glance
- Where London is clearly cheaper: SIM card (63%โ)
- Where Istanbul is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (73%โ), Bottled water (72%โ), Street food (68%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
London is easier to travel (1.4 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: language โ Istanbul 3 vs London 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Istanbul | London | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โบ 450$11 | ยฃ 17$23 | Istanbul โ52% |
| Street food1 item | โบ 180$4.39 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | Istanbul โ68% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โบ 1,000$24.4 | ยฃ 38$51.4 | Istanbul โ53% |
| Coffeeone cup | โบ 190$4.63 | ยฃ 3.7$5 | Istanbul โ7% |
| Beerone bottle | โบ 220$5.37 | ยฃ 6.8$9.19 | Istanbul โ42% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โบ 400$9.76 | ยฃ 13$17.6 | Istanbul โ44% |
| Bottled water | โบ 20$0.49 | ยฃ 1.3$1.76 | Istanbul โ72% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โบ 50$1.22 | ยฃ 2$2.7 | Istanbul โ55% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โบ 320$7.8 | ยฃ 16$21.6 | Istanbul โ64% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โบ 230$5.61 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | Istanbul โ54% |
| Transitone ride | โบ 46$1.12 | ยฃ 1.75$2.36 | Istanbul โ53% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โบ 800$19.5 | ยฃ 25$33.8 | Istanbul โ42% |
| Hotel night3-star | โบ 3,500$85.4 | ยฃ 180$243 | Istanbul โ65% |
| Studio rent (month) | โบ 28,000$683 | ยฃ 1,900$2,568 | Istanbul โ73% |
| Laundry | โบ 120$2.93 | ยฃ 3$4.05 | Istanbul โ28% |
| SIM card1 week data | โบ 1,500$36.6 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | London โ63% |
| Haircutcut | โบ 500$12.2 | ยฃ 25$33.8 | Istanbul โ64% |
| Massage1 hour | โบ 1,800$43.9 | ยฃ 65$87.8 | Istanbul โ50% |
| Half-day tourper person | โบ 2,000$48.8 | ยฃ 50$67.6 | Istanbul โ28% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โบ 1,500$36.6 | ยฃ 32$43.2 | Istanbul โ15% |
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, Istanbul or London?
Istanbul is 62% cheaper than London. Daily budget $174 vs $438; a month $3,072 vs $8,616.
Which is easier to travel, Istanbul or London?
London is easier: London 1.4/5 vs Istanbul 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Istanbul and London?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Istanbul is about $3,072 and London about $8,616 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.