Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Abomey-Calavi

For one person, living is cheaper in Abomey-Calavi: $714 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Abomey-Calavi
Learn more

Abomey-Calavi Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Abomey-Calavi

🇧🇯 Benin

$714

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Abomey-Calavi

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $714 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Abomey-Calavi $714

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $1,133 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Abomey-Calavi $1,133

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,553 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Abomey-Calavi $1,553

Istanbul costs about 114% more than Abomey-Calavi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Abomey-Calavi is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$5.77 F CFA 3,375

105.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$25.69 F CFA 15.0K

114.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$8.11 F CFA 4,745

12.70%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$4.71 F CFA 2,753

-9.98%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$1.11 F CFA 647

57.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$1.76 F CFA 1,032

-69.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$1.76 F CFA 1,031

166.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$5.07 F CFA 2,967

17.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$2.19 F CFA 1,282

-42.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$0.25 F CFA 145

280.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.96 F CFA 1,148

17.86%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$2.03 F CFA 1,190

21.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$3.42 F CFA 1,999

208.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$3.79 F CFA 2,220

47.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$5.90 F CFA 3,453

259.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.21 F CFA 1,296

-12.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$0.90 F CFA 526

154.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.67 F CFA 389

91.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$2.03 F CFA 1,188

-9.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$0.97 F CFA 570

-30.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$0.81 F CFA 475

-27.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$0.68 F CFA 397

95.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$0.89 F CFA 519

-33.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$0.44 F CFA 260

436.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$10.66 F CFA 6,237

26.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$0.97 F CFA 566

149.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.12 F CFA 654

216.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$7.65 F CFA 4,474

768.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$1.71 F CFA 1,003

-21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$1.75 F CFA 1,025

-51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.21 F CFA 710

21.49%

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

$119 F CFA 69.8K

-25.21%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$19.96 F CFA 11.7K

-41.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$87.0 F CFA 50.9K

-81.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$34.49 F CFA 20.2K

123.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$5.19 F CFA 3,035

336.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$6.09 F CFA 3,564

36.95%

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

$17.19 F CFA 10.1K

206.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$8.54 F CFA 4,998

358.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$26.30 F CFA 15.4K

292.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$25.80 F CFA 15.1K

274.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$101 F CFA 58.8K

888.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$73.8 F CFA 43.2K

752.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$221 F CFA 129.2K

816.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$278 F CFA 162.5K

315.87%

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

$85.1 F CFA 49.8K

1314.69%

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 Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Abomey-Calavi

$74 10.3% 88.3% $555

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Abomey-Calavi

$163 22.6% 38.3% $101

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Abomey-Calavi

$157 21.9% 27.8% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Abomey-Calavi

$35 4.9% 73.3% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Abomey-Calavi

$226 31.4% 93.5% $109

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Abomey-Calavi

$47 6.5% 50.3% $47

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Abomey-Calavi

$18 * 2.5% 76% $57

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $101 in Abomey-Calavi. 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 1315% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $163 – making Abomey-Calavi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇧🇯 Abomey-Calavi

🕒 Local time

12:47 12:47 PM

10:47 10:47 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

650,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

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).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Abomey-Calavi 4,660 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Abomey-Calavi

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

Istanbul vs Abomey-Calavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 114%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $1,071 in Abomey-Calavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,526 in Istanbul and $714 in Abomey-Calavi. That's a gap of about 114%.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abomey-Calavi, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Abomey-Calavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – 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 Abomey-Calavi. 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.