Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Bakau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakau: $322 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Bakau

🇬🇲 Gambia

$322

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Bakau

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $322 in Bakau, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Bakau $322

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $724 in Bakau, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Bakau $724

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,125 in Bakau, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Bakau $1,125

Istanbul costs about 374% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Bakau is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$5.42 GMD 390

119.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$75.9 GMD 5,461

-27.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$7.99 GMD 575

14.39%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$3.87 GMD 278

9.56%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$2.26 GMD 163

-22.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$1.14 GMD 82.3

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$3.60 GMD 260

30.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$3.53 GMD 254

69.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$2.50 GMD 180

-49.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$5.36 GMD 386

-53.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$16.13 GMD 1,161

-65.28%

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

$13.41 GMD 966

0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$2.01 GMD 144

20.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$2.74 GMD 197

29.20%

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

$67.8 GMD 4,880

1603.75%

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 Bakau: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Bakau

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Bakau

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Bakau

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Bakau

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Bakau

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Bakau

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Bakau

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $76.0 in Bakau. Groceries tell a different story – $264 in Istanbul vs $169 in Bakau – so Bakau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇬🇲 Bakau

🕒 Local time

17:23 5:23 PM

14:23 2:23 PM

3 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

43,098

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 GMD = 1.39 USD

100 GMD = 1.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GMD, 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).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 72 GMD (100 GMD = 1.39 USD). 1 EUR = 80.68 GMD (100 GMD = 1.24 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Bakau 5,370 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Bakau

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 Bakau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 374% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $483 in Bakau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,526 in Istanbul and $322 in Bakau. That's a gap of about 374%.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 Bakau, where all-in costs run around $322, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Bakau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakau costs $322 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 Bakau. 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.