Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in East London: $1,001 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in East London
Learn more

East London Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

East London

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,001

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,001 per month in East London vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

East London $1,001
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,632 per month in East London vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

East London $1,632
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $2,262 per month in East London vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

East London $2,262
Istanbul $3,281

East London is about 35% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

East London sits 26% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.27 R 153

$12.30 ₺609

-24.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.10 R 628

$54.7 ₺2,708

-30.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 R 94.4

$9.22 ₺456

-37.85%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R 34.16

$4.40 ₺218

-52.95%

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

$1.02 R 16.79

$1.68 ₺83.1

-39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.92

$0.59 ₺29.40

32.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 R 44.62

$4.70 ₺233

-42.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R 52.1

$5.91 ₺292

-46.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 R 19.32

$1.21 ₺60.0

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 R 15.51

$0.89 ₺44.10

5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.99

$2.19 ₺108

-30.59%

Eggs

$2.29 R 37.81

$2.35 ₺116

-2.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 R 144

$10.42 ₺516

-16.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 R 88.3

$5.65 ₺280

-5.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R 109

$20.94 ₺1,037

-68.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.49

$1.90 ₺94.1

-18.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.62

$2.31 ₺114

-32.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.68

$1.28 ₺63.1

31.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.83

$1.80 ₺89.0

-16.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.53

$0.65 ₺32.16

156.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.45

$0.64 ₺31.91

121.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 R 18.49

$1.25 ₺62.1

-10.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.19

$0.56 ₺27.58

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R 47.01

$2.37 ₺118

20.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.90 R 80.7

$13.42 ₺664

-63.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 R 18.79

$2.40 ₺119

-52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 15.04

$3.48 ₺172

-73.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 R 25.40

$0.89 ₺43.84

73.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.97 R 774

$67.4 ₺3,338

-30.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R 19.60

$1.29 ₺64.1

-7.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 R 8.11

$0.92 ₺45.70

-46.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 R 141

$10.96 ₺542

-21.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 R 22.30

$1.47 ₺72.9

-8.16%

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

$35.4K R 582.9K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-30.34%

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

$30.1K R 495.4K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-32.47%

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

$121 R 1,994

$88.6 ₺4,387

36.58%

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

$32.82 R 541

$11.59 ₺574

183.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.33 R 730

$15.81 ₺783

180.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.22 R 646

$77.2 ₺3,820

-49.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 R 79.3

$8.14 ₺403

-40.91%

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

$176 R 2,896

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-82.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,405 R 89.1K

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-78.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R 944

$54.0 ₺2,671

6.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.61 R 554

$40.83 ₺2,021

-17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 R 1,214

$98.9 ₺4,895

-25.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 R 1,568

$96.6 ₺4,783

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 R 4,760

$985 ₺48.7K

-70.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R 4,219

$650 ₺32.2K

-60.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 R 9,017

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-72.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 R 10.8K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-44.54%

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)

$1,657 R 27.3K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

37.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

-73.12%

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

Last update for East London: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

East London

$256 25.6%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 154% $394

Monthly Utilities & Internet

East London

$198 19.8%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 41.5% $82

Groceries & Markets

East London

$181 18.1%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 43.2% $78

Eating Out

East London

$143 14.3%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 55.8% $80

Clothing & Footwear

East London

$117 11.7%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 11.7% $14

Getting Around

East London

$57 5.7%

Istanbul

$77 5% 35.4% $20

Sport & Entertainment

East London

$49 4.9%

Istanbul

$93 6% 91.3% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $289 in East London 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 37% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in East London versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $260 – making East London the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇦 East London

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

09:35 9:35 AM

10:35 10:35 AM

1 h ahead of East London

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

267,007

15,701,602

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

East London Istanbul 8,230 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

East London
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

East London vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,001 in East London, $1,550 in Istanbul – roughly 55% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,502 per month in East London 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 East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in East London and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,001, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. East London has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,001 in East London to $1,550 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 East London. 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.