Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barra and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Barra: $105 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Barra

🇬🇲 Gambia

$105

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $105 per month in Barra vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Barra $105
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $178 per month in Barra vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Barra $178
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $251 per month in Barra vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Barra $251
Istanbul $3,272

Barra is about 93% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Barra sits 92% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 GMD 67.6

$0.95 ₺46.81

-1.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.50 GMD 180

$2.47 ₺122

1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 GMD 500

$5.60 ₺276

24.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 GMD 143

$2.29 ₺113

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 GMD 200

$1.28 ₺63.1

117.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 GMD 148

$1.84 ₺90.8

11.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 GMD 80.1

$0.67 ₺32.86

65.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 GMD 56.0

$0.59 ₺29.31

32.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 GMD 32.22

$0.59 ₺29.10

-23.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 GMD 76.3

$2.42 ₺119

-56.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

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)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

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 Barra: 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

Barra

–

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Groceries & Markets

Barra

–

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Eating Out

Barra

–

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Barra

–

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Barra

–

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Barra

–

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Getting Around

Barra

–

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Good to know

🇬🇲 Barra

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

03:47 3:47 AM

06:47 6:47 AM

3 h ahead of Barra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,020

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 = 80.75 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 = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

USD to GMD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Barra Istanbul 5,350 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Barra
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

Barra vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 1357%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $157 per month in Barra 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 $105 in Barra and $1,526 in Istanbul. That's a gap of about 1357%.

Groceries cost about 156% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Barra, where all-in costs run around $105, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Barra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barra – 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 Barra. 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.