Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Flacq

For one person, living is cheaper in Flacq: $499 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,526
/mo nomad
Flacq
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$499
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Flacq

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,526 in Istanbul versus $499 in Flacq.

  • Istanbul $1,526
  • Flacq $499

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,399 in Istanbul versus $1,107 in Flacq.

  • Istanbul $2,399
  • Flacq $1,107

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,272 in Istanbul versus $1,715 in Flacq.

  • Istanbul $3,272
  • Flacq $1,715

Living in Istanbul is roughly 206% more expensive than in Flacq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 14% above, Flacq is 63% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.88 ₺585
$5.92 MUR 280
100.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.1 ₺2,714
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.14 ₺450
$5.92 MUR 280
54.39%
Cappuccino
$4.24 ₺209
$1.66 MUR 78.5
155.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₺86.0
$0.71 MUR 33.64
146.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 ₺26.83
$0.60 MUR 28.20
-10.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.69 ₺231
$1.36 MUR 64.4
244.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.97 ₺294
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 ₺62.1
$2.14 MUR 101
-41.12%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 ₺46.81
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
-
-
Eggs
$2.47 ₺122
$2.66 MUR 126
-7.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.55 ₺520
$11.92 MUR 564
-11.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.60 ₺276
$1.99 MUR 93.9
181.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.21 ₺1,045
$13.87 MUR 656
52.92%
Apples (1kg)
$1.93 ₺95.1
$2.13 MUR 101
-9.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 ₺113
$2.16 MUR 102
6.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$2.17 MUR 103
-41.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.84 ₺90.8
$2.57 MUR 122
-28.40%
Potato (1kg)
$0.67 ₺32.86
$1.03 MUR 48.51
-34.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.59 ₺29.31
$1.08 MUR 51.1
-45.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 ₺65.4
$0.50 MUR 23.88
166.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.10
$0.55 MUR 26.15
7.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 ₺116
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.47 ₺664
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42 ₺119
$1.48 MUR 70.3
63.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54 ₺174
$1.57 MUR 74.4
125.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 ₺40.64
$0.88 MUR 41.60
-5.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.5 ₺3,273
$31.80 MUR 1,505
108.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ₺66.6
$1.03 MUR 48.81
31.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 ₺42.05
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.86 ₺535
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.3
$1.38 MUR 65.2
6.52%
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
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
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
$10.73 MUR 508
8.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.10 ₺793
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.3 ₺3,805
$20.60 MUR 974
275.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.66 ₺1,116
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.34 ₺411
$5.84 MUR 276
42.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$974 ₺48.0K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K ₺1.3M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 ₺2,597
$104 MUR 4,942
-49.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.16 ₺1,929
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 ₺5,083
$72.7 MUR 3,437
42.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,759
$106 MUR 5,009
-8.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
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
$625 MUR 29.6K
84.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,160 ₺155.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,838 ₺90.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Flacq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,203 ₺59.3K
$1,137 MUR 53.8K
5.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
41.09
4.65
783.66%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Flacq: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$629
Flacq
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$264
Flacq
$189 * 28.4% $75
Eating Out
Istanbul
$218
Flacq
$97 * 55.5% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Flacq
$127 * 3% $3.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$117
Flacq
$11 * 90.8% $106
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$94
Flacq
$32 65.6% $62
Getting Around
Istanbul
$75
Flacq
$36 * 51.8% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

Istanbul pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇲🇺 Flacq
🕒 Local time
13:07 1:07 PM
14:07 2:07 PM
1 h ahead of Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
16,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

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).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 47.31 MUR (100 MUR = 2.11 USD). 1 EUR = 53.01 MUR (100 MUR = 1.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Flacq 7,420 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Flacq

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 Flacq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Istanbul or Flacq?
Flacq wins on cost – living expenses run 206% lower than in Istanbul. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Flacq the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Istanbul or in Flacq?
Average pay runs 6% higher in Istanbul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does it cost to live in Istanbul compared to Flacq?
All in, you'll spend $1,526 per month in Istanbul versus $499 in Flacq – a 206% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Are groceries more expensive in Istanbul or in Flacq?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Istanbul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Istanbul or in Flacq?
At $499 in Flacq versus $1,526 in Istanbul, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Flacq but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Flacq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Istanbul or Flacq?
Both work as nomad bases, but Flacq delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $499 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Flacq hard to pass up.
How safe is Istanbul compared to Flacq?
Safety-wise, Istanbul and Flacq are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Flacq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 206% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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