Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brufut and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Brufut: $55.5 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,900 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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Brufut

🇬🇲 Gambia

$55.5

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $55.5 per month in Brufut vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Brufut $55.5
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $91.6 per month in Brufut vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Brufut $91.6
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $128 per month in Brufut vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Brufut $128
Istanbul $3,281

Brufut is about 96% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Brufut sits 96% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 GMD 174

$12.30 ₺609

-80.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

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)

$4.70 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 GMD 118

$1.21 ₺60.0

32.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 GMD 48.91

$0.89 ₺44.10

-25.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 GMD 52.7

$2.19 ₺108

-67.58%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 GMD 77.5

$0.65 ₺32.16

61.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 GMD 73.7

$0.64 ₺31.91

56.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 GMD 21.39

$0.56 ₺27.58

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 GMD 98.2

$3.48 ₺172

-61.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

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)

$0.99 GMD 73.6

$1.47 ₺72.9

-32.65%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

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

$11.59 ₺574

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

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

Last update for Brufut: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Brufut

–

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Groceries & Markets

Brufut

–

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Eating Out

Brufut

–

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Brufut

–

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brufut

–

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Brufut

–

Istanbul

$93 6%

Getting Around

Brufut

–

Istanbul

$77 5%

Good to know

🇬🇲 Brufut

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

16:37 4:37 PM

19:37 7:37 PM

3 h ahead of Brufut

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

27,664

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.2 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 74 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 83.2 GMD (100 GMD = 1.2 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 GMD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Brufut Istanbul 5,380 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Brufut
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

Brufut vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 2694% more than Brufut, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $83.2 per month in Brufut and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $55.5 in Brufut and $1,550 in Istanbul. That's a gap of about 2694%.

Groceries cost about 608% 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 Brufut, where all-in costs run around $55.5, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Brufut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brufut costs $55.5 versus $1,550 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 Brufut. 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.