Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Gabane

For one person, living is cheaper in Gabane: $117 a month against $1,519 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,519

/mo nomad

Gabane

🇧🇼 Botswana

$117

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Gabane

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

A single person spends $1,519 per month in Istanbul vs $117 in Gabane, rent included.

Istanbul $1,519
Gabane $117

A couple spends around $2,365 per month in Istanbul vs $162 in Gabane, rent included.

Istanbul $2,365
Gabane $162

A family of three spends $3,212 per month in Istanbul vs $208 in Gabane, rent included.

Istanbul $3,212
Gabane $208

Istanbul costs about 1199% more than Gabane.

Istanbul sits 12% above the global median, while Gabane is 91% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 ₺590

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 ₺2,745

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.26 ₺463

Cappuccino

$4.30 ₺215

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

$1.77 ₺88.7

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺28.23

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺234

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 ₺356

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ₺62.5

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺44.03

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ₺110

Eggs

$2.43 ₺122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 ₺524

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 ₺266

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.10 ₺1,055

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₺92.8

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 ₺115

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺60.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.9

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₺34.72

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺32.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₺67.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺28.85

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 ₺117

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 ₺651

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₺118

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₺166

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ₺43.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.1 ₺3,306

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₺64.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.09 ₺554

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₺73.8

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$48.6K ₺2.4M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$42.0K ₺2.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$92.7 ₺4,635

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

$11.20 ₺560

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 ₺794

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 ₺3,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 ₺1,148

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 ₺402

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$948 ₺47.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K ₺1.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ₺2,694

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 ₺2,074

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ₺5,044

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 ₺4,565

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 ₺50.7K

$161 P 2,161

531.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺31.2K

$117 P 1,573

434.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 ₺100.3K

$299 P 4,029

569.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 ₺56.3K

$208 P 2,798

441.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ₺149.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₺86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,136 ₺56.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.42

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

Last update for Istanbul: November 2, 2026

Last update for Gabane: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$625 41.1%

Gabane

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$258 17%

Gabane

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$221 14.6%

Gabane

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Gabane

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$120 7.9%

Gabane

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$91 6%

Gabane

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 5%

Gabane

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Istanbul versus $161 in Gabane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇧🇼 Gabane

🕒 Local time

15:50 3:50 PM

14:50 2:50 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

14,842

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2 USD

100 TRY = 1.79 EUR

100 BWP = 7.43 USD

100 BWP = 6.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 49.99 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 55.97 TRY (100 TRY = 1.79 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 13.45 BWP (100 BWP = 7.43 USD). 1 EUR = 15.06 BWP (100 BWP = 6.64 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Gabane 7,310 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Gabane

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 Gabane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 1199% more than Gabane, 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 $2,278 per month in Istanbul and $175 in Gabane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gabane, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $161 there versus $1,014 in Istanbul.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gabane, where all-in costs run around $117, than in Istanbul at $1,519. In Gabane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Istanbul has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $117 in Gabane to $1,519 in Istanbul. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.