Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aba and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Aba: $408 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Aba

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$408

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aba and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aba and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $408 per month in Aba vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Aba $408
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $664 per month in Aba vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Aba $664
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $921 per month in Aba vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Aba $921
Istanbul $3,281

Aba is about 74% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Aba sits 70% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 ₦9,880

$9.22 ₺456

-19.41%

Cappuccino

$0.87 ₦1,159

$4.40 ₺218

-80.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₺83.1

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₦2,746

$4.70 ₺233

-56.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₦3,120

$5.91 ₺292

-60.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.69 ₦4,907

$1.21 ₺60.0

204.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 ₦2,951

$0.89 ₺44.10

149.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.43 ₦15.2K

$10.42 ₺516

9.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.28 ₦1,703

$20.94 ₺1,037

-93.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 ₦7,121

$1.90 ₺94.1

181.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 ₦740

$2.31 ₺114

-75.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 ₦4,811

$0.65 ₺32.16

456.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₦1,539

$1.25 ₺62.1

-7.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₦184

$0.56 ₺27.58

-75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.47 ₦1,959

$2.37 ₺118

-37.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 ₦9,870

$13.42 ₺664

-44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₦1,683

$2.40 ₺119

-47.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ₦1,940

$3.48 ₺172

-58.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.24 ₦12.3K

$67.4 ₺3,338

-86.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$6,010 ₦8.0M

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-88.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$7,584 ₦10.1M

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-82.97%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$116 ₦153.7K

$88.6 ₺4,387

30.43%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$2.22 ₦2,957

$11.59 ₺574

-80.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.39 ₦60.4K

$15.81 ₺783

187.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$2.06 ₦2,734

$8.14 ₺403

-74.69%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,008 ₺49.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,067 ₦1.4M

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-95.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.19 ₦20.2K

$98.9 ₺4,895

-84.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.89 ₦25.1K

$96.6 ₺4,783

-80.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 ₦177.5K

$985 ₺48.7K

-86.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₦599.4K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-77.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 ₦303.9K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-80.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,102 ₦1.5M

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-64.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 ₦624.0K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-73.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$96.4 ₦128.2K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-92.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

-70.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aba: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Aba

–

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Groceries & Markets

Aba

–

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Eating Out

Aba

–

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Aba

–

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Aba

–

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Aba

–

Istanbul

$93 6%

Getting Around

Aba

–

Istanbul

$77 5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Aba versus $985 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1151% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Aba

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

20:24 8:24 PM

22:24 10:24 PM

2 h ahead of Aba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,020,900

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,496 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Aba Istanbul 4,530 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Aba
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aba vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 280%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $612 per month in Aba and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 630% less in Aba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aba, where all-in costs run around $408, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Aba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.