✦ Compare
Berlin vs
Istanbul
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Istanbul, TR, you'd need
$36,875 / year
Istanbul, TR is 51% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Istanbul, TR vs Berlin, DE)
- Housing-55%
- Food & groceries-52%
- Transport-53%
- Utilities-55%
- Healthcare-53%
- Goods & services-43%
▤ Full comparison
| Berlin, DE | Istanbul, TR | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 110 | 54 |
| Housing | 122 | 55 |
| Food | 108 | 52 |
| Transport | 85 | 40 |
| Utilities | 132 | 60 |
| Healthcare | 95 | 45 |
| Goods & services | 106 | 60 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,400/mo | $650/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,000/mo | $400/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $2,800/mo | $1,300/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $8,500 | $2,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $910 | $1,852 |
| Inexpensive meal | $15 | $6 |
| Monthly transit pass | $55 | $30 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 40% |
| VAT / sales tax | 19% | 20% |
| Social security (employee) | 20% | 15% |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 25% |
| Capital gains | 26.4% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,900/mo | $700/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,200/mo | $600/mo |
| GDP per capita | $60,496 | $15,666 |
| Inflation (annual) | 2.2% | 44% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | High | Moderate |
| Coworking spaces | 120 | 50 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 | UTC+3 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 60 | 58 |
| Healthcare index | 78 | 65 |
| Pollution index | 55 | 62 |
| Internet speed | 120 Mbps | 60 Mbps |
| Walkability | 88 | 70 |
| Public transport | 90 | 72 |
| Family-friendly | 68 | 60 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Use caution |
| Life expectancy | 81 yr | 78 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Low |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +1 °C | +6 °C |
| July avg | +19 °C | +24 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 60 | 190 |
| Rainfall / year | 570 mm | 810 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1.5 h | 3 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Germany vs Turkey. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Berlin to Istanbul: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Berlin to Istanbul, your cost of living will be roughly 51% cheaper. Istanbul’s cost-of-living index is 54 versus 110 for Berlin (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Berlin cheaper than Istanbul?
Istanbul is about 51% cheaper than Berlin overall — its cost-of-living index is 54 versus 110 for Berlin.
How much do you need to earn in Istanbul to live like in Berlin?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Berlin is worth about $36,875 in Istanbul. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Berlin or Istanbul?
Turkey has the lower top income-tax rate — 40% versus 45% in Germany.
◷ More comparisons from Berlin
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.