Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakau and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakau: $322 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Bakau

🇬🇲 Gambia

$322

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bakau 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 Bakau and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $322 per month in Bakau vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Bakau $322
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $724 per month in Bakau vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Bakau $724
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $1,125 per month in Bakau vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Bakau $1,125
Istanbul $3,272

Bakau is about 79% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Bakau sits 76% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 GMD 390

$11.88 ₺585

-54.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 GMD 5,461

$55.1 ₺2,714

37.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 GMD 575

$9.14 ₺450

-12.58%

Cappuccino

$3.87 GMD 278

$4.24 ₺209

-8.73%

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

$2.26 GMD 163

$1.75 ₺86.0

29.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 GMD 82.3

$0.54 ₺26.83

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 GMD 260

$4.69 ₺231

-23.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 GMD 254

$5.97 ₺294

-40.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 GMD 180

$1.26 ₺62.1

98.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$5.36 GMD 386

$2.47 ₺122

117.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.13 GMD 1,161

$5.60 ₺276

188.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 GMD 966

$13.47 ₺664

-0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 GMD 144

$2.42 ₺119

-16.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 GMD 197

$3.54 ₺174

-22.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

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

$11.60 ₺572

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

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

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$67.8 GMD 4,880

$1,155 ₺56.9K

-94.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

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

Last update for Bakau: October 4, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bakau

–

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Groceries & Markets

Bakau

–

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Eating Out

Bakau

–

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Bakau

–

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakau

–

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Bakau

–

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Getting Around

Bakau

–

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Bakau versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Bakau vs $264 in Istanbul – so Bakau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇬🇲 Bakau

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

11:27 11:27 AM

14:27 2:27 PM

3 h ahead of Bakau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

43,098

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 GMD = 1.39 USD

100 GMD = 1.24 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to GMD – Gambian Dalasi Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇲 Gambian Dalasi (D)

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 72 GMD (100 GMD = 1.39 USD). 1 EUR = 80.68 GMD (100 GMD = 1.24 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

USD to GMD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bakau Istanbul 5,370 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Bakau
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

Bakau vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 374% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $483 per month in Bakau and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $322 in Bakau and $1,526 in Istanbul. That's a gap of about 374%.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bakau, where all-in costs run around $322, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Bakau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakau costs $322 versus $1,526 in Istanbul. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bakau. 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.