✦ Compare
Istanbul vs
London
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 London, UK, you'd need
$190,937 / year
London, UK is 155% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (London, UK vs Istanbul, TR)
- Housing+224%
- Food & groceries+127%
- Transport+225%
- Utilities+117%
- Healthcare+96%
- Goods & services+103%
▤ Full comparison
| Istanbul, TR | London, UK | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 54 | 138 |
| Housing | 55 | 178 |
| Food | 52 | 118 |
| Transport | 40 | 130 |
| Utilities | 60 | 130 |
| Healthcare | 45 | 88 |
| Goods & services | 60 | 122 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $650/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $400/mo | $1,850/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,300/mo | $5,200/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $2,500 | $16,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,852 | $727 |
| Inexpensive meal | $6 | $20 |
| Monthly transit pass | $30 | $200 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 40% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 20% | 20% |
| Social security (employee) | 15% | 8% |
| Corporate tax | 25% | 25% |
| Capital gains | — | 24% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $700/mo | $2,900/mo |
| Minimum wage | $600/mo | $2,050/mo |
| GDP per capita | $15,666 | $57,602 |
| Inflation (annual) | 44% | 3.9% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | No |
| English proficiency | Moderate | Native |
| Coworking spaces | 50 | 250 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 | UTC+0 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 58 | 55 |
| Healthcare index | 65 | 74 |
| Pollution index | 62 | 60 |
| Internet speed | 60 Mbps | 90 Mbps |
| Walkability | 70 | 88 |
| Public transport | 72 | 92 |
| Family-friendly | 60 | 62 |
| Tap water | Use caution | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 78 yr | 81 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Low | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +6 °C | +5 °C |
| July avg | +24 °C | +19 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 190 | 106 |
| Rainfall / year | 810 mm | 690 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 3 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Turkey vs United Kingdom. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Istanbul to London: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Istanbul to London, your cost of living will be roughly 155% more expensive. London’s cost-of-living index is 138 versus 54 for Istanbul (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Istanbul cheaper than London?
London is about 155% more expensive than Istanbul overall — its cost-of-living index is 138 versus 54 for Istanbul.
How much do you need to earn in London to live like in Istanbul?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Istanbul is worth about $190,937 in London. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Istanbul or London?
Turkey has the lower top income-tax rate — 40% versus 45% in United Kingdom.
◷ More comparisons from Istanbul
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.