Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Arandis

For one person, living is cheaper in Arandis: $90.9 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Arandis

🇳🇦 Namibia

$90.9

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Arandis

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 Arandis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $90.9 in Arandis, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Arandis $90.9

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $146 in Arandis, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Arandis $146

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $201 in Arandis, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Arandis $201

Istanbul costs about 1580% more than Arandis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Arandis is 93% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$11.26 NAD 186

5.51%

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)

$0.95 ₺46.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

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)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

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 Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Arandis: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Arandis

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Arandis

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Arandis

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Arandis

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Arandis

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Arandis

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Arandis

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇦 Arandis

🕒 Local time

11:28 11:28 AM

10:28 10:28 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

5,200

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Namibian Dollar NAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 NAD = 6.06 USD

100 NAD = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NAD, 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 = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 NAD (100 NAD = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.51 NAD (100 NAD = 5.4 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Arandis 7,200 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

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Istanbul
Arandis

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 Arandis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 1580% more than Arandis, 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 $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $136 in Arandis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arandis, where all-in costs run around $90.9, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Arandis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arandis costs $90.9 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 Arandis. 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.