Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Goma

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 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

$1,550

/mo nomad

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Goma

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $430 in Goma, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Goma $430

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $751 in Goma, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Goma $751

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,071 in Goma, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Goma $1,071

Istanbul costs about 261% more than Goma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Goma is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

-17.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

20.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

-9.52%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$3.51 CDF 7,960

25.36%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$1.03 CDF 2,331

63.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.01 CDF 2,292

-41.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$1.19 CDF 2,685

294.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

17.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.98 CDF 2,211

23.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.22 CDF 2,758

79.51%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.60 CDF 3,625

46.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

72.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$2.57 CDF 5,814

119.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

317.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.97 CDF 4,470

-3.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.52 CDF 3,448

-15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.51 CDF 1,165

27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.69 CDF 1,552

-18.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.02 CDF 4,567

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.52 CDF 5,698

38.10%

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

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

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

-21.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

-73.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

153.98%

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 Goma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Goma

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Goma

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Goma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Goma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Goma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Goma

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Goma

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $46.00 in Goma. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $108 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇨🇩 Goma

🕒 Local time

12:07 12:07 PM

11:07 11:07 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

2,000,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CDF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Goma 4,750 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Goma

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 Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul costs about 261% more than Goma, 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 $645 in Goma. 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 $430 in Goma. That's a gap of about 261%.

Groceries cost about 141% 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 Goma, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Goma costs $430 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 Goma. 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.