Some time ago we wrote about the cost of living in Istanbul, where you could find out how much everything costs. Today we will look at the cost of living in the “small” student city – Eskişehir. The city has nearly 1 million inhabitants, a large part of which are students. This makes the city very attractive for Erasmus exchanges.
Keep in mind that the prices are from the beginning of 2022, if you read this later prices may vary slightly.
1 euro = 16.30

Accommodation 2000-3000 TL
Renting an apartment is never easy, especially if you dread renting it in a new country. In this article about how to find accommodation in Turkey, you can learn some practical tips on how to find it.
When it comes to renting in Eskişehir, if you want to rent an apartment just for yourself you have to reckon with the amount of 2000-3000 tl. This is the amount for renting an apartment plus some bills.
Remember that sometimes landlords want a deposit of the first rent. If you rent through a real estate agency you will also be charged a commission, which is also the amount of the first rent.
Transportation 200 TL
There are not so many transportation options in Eskişehir. While in Eskişehir, we can use the streetcar, buses, and minibusses. However, the city is also not so huge that these three options are completely sufficient. A single transfer by streetcar costs 6 tl, thanks to a large number of streetcar lines you can reach places very far from the center.
Alternatively, you can take a cab. The city is small, there are no traffic jams like in Istanbul, so you will certainly pay less.
Food 1100 TL
Eskişehir boasts really good food. Probably like the whole of Turkey :). We can find here a lot of restaurants run by families, where we can eat real homemade cuisine. What follows the prices are not exorbitant but rather very reasonable. Additionally, if you come to such restaurants often, you may get some free snacks.
Entertainment 500 TL
In Eskişehir, we will have a lot of options for leisure activities. Definitely worth their to the cinema, the modern museum on Odunpqzari or going to Sazova park and then going to the Zoo. One of the most unique attractions that you will find in Eskişehir is the possibility of crossing the river in a gondola. There is a reason why Eskişehir is called Little Venice. You can also find plenty of free outdoor activities where you can sit with friends for a while.
Others 150 TL
It depends on your needs. One of the basic things will probably be the purchase of a sim card from 60 TL to 150 TL. Additionally, every month you will need some cosmetics, expenses here start from 50 to 200+ TL.
As you can see the cost of living in Eskişehir is a bit cheaper than the prices in Istanbul. The biggest differences can be seen in accommodation, transportation, and food. Eskişehir is a great city, ideal for students. It’s relatively cheap, there are a lot of students and foreigners, and it’s a great base to go to Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir. If you want to check the cost of living in other cities in Turkey and around the world take a look at Numbeo.com. There you will find a range of information on what costs how much and how to prepare a budget.