Cost of Living: Bali vs Istanbul (2026)

Istanbul is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1070/month there vs $1082/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Bali is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Bali has a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 and Istanbul has 2.64 per 100,000.

Bali edges ahead 63 to 54. Istanbul isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Bali: Indonesia Second Home Visa (complex process, 5 or 10 years). Istanbul: Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit (easy to get, 1–2 years (renewable)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Istanbul is easier for street-level English (31/100) than Bali (25/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1070/month in Istanbul, $1082/month in Bali (Numbeo). That's 1% cheaper rent in Istanbul.

Bali scores 6.4/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 4.3/10 for Istanbul. Both are functional democracies, though the gap matters if you're planning to stay long enough to care about local politics.

Istanbul scores higher on our composite healthcare index (70/100 vs 52/100 for Bali). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.