Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Brufut

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
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Brufut

🇬🇲 Gambia

$55.5

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Brufut

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

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

Istanbul $1,550
Brufut $55.5

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

Istanbul $2,415
Brufut $91.6

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

Istanbul $3,281
Brufut $128

Istanbul costs about 2694% more than Brufut, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$2.35 GMD 174

423.40%

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)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.60 GMD 118

-24.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.66 GMD 48.91

34.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$0.71 GMD 52.7

208.45%

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)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.05 GMD 77.5

-38.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.00 GMD 73.7

-36.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.29 GMD 21.39

93.10%

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)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.33 GMD 98.2

161.65%

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)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$0.99 GMD 73.6

48.48%

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 Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Brufut: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Brufut

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Brufut

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Brufut

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Brufut

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Brufut

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Brufut

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Brufut

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇬🇲 Brufut

🕒 Local time

21:54 9:54 PM

18:54 6:54 PM

3 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

27,664

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.2 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

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).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Brufut 5,380 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Brufut

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 Brufut: 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 $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $83.2 in Brufut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,550 in Istanbul and $55.5 in Brufut. 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.